You're The One That I Want
by Kana Mai 728
Summary: *On Hold* Gaara has a secret admirer in the village of Konoha, just who could it be? Re-post from a few years back, almost lost the story but, it's back. WARNING: Possible Shounen-ai/Yaoi outcome (More Inside). Gaara/various pairings at first, one will be chosen at the end.
1. Prologue

**You're The One That I Want**

**Prologue**

After every little detail was explained everyone sat there silently. You really didn't need to hear them speak to know what they were all thinking about.

They had to keep present, at all times, every single, possible outcome that could come of of it all. How they had to handle themselves if they needed to, what was their part in the matter and what they absolutely shouldn't do, what they should do and what they had to incite and avoid.

Right, looking at them, anyone could tell a few still looked a little lost and confused, slightly doubtful. They were still in shock at the whole idea of it coming together but, it was what it was and it was now or never and it had to be special. This was the only opportunity to be had and you couldn't repeat the first time…or the only time as it was also the case.

"So are you sure you want to do this?" the question was asked with a whole lot of doubt and curiosity, it broke all the silence in the large room and opened up a new can of worms that everyone obviously wanted to open themselves. Yeah, there was definitely a lot of doubt going around.

"What do you mean?" responding with a question was the only way to go at the moment.

"She means do you actually want to go through with this plan?" Another asked as if they still had not understood a single thing they had already talked about, more than once.

One person looked around at more than a dozen faces before smiling, fine if they needed more certainty and clarity, then they would get it.

"Of course I do. Why would I even speak with all of you if I had no intention of actually going through with this?" okay, that sounded a bit frustrated but, they needed to understand it already. There was no going back now, couldn't even think of it. Accommodating everything and thinking hard about it all, they just _needed_ to get it.

"Why this elaborate plan? Why do all this for one person? What? Do you actually love him?" Were questions flowing through all of their minds, but only one spoke up and it made sense, they were still in doubt…somehow though, they were returning back to the beginning and having to explain, yet again, was a bit frustrating.

"What do you think." Was the obvious answer to give, a question in form of a statement. A smirk graced lovely lips. "I can't seem to get him out of my mind…" the simplest and most truthful answer, just thinking about him got the heart beating fast, the stomach churning, a desire to look into those eyes forever.

"But why torture him this way?" more and more questions.

"It's not torture…I just want him to be…" trailing off, everyone just stared and waited for that last word, that one word which would help clear each and everyone of their still confused and unbelieving minds. "…surprised." Simple…though maybe not so much if they really looked into it again but, like they actually would at the moment?

The room fell silent once again. Eyes wandered around, looking into different colored orbs. Every one of them would play a part in this; each one had a duty to complete and was willing to help even though they couldn't quite figure it all out yet, the determination was there, present in each one of their stares.

"Well, I believe that _will_ be achieved. But, I have one question…Will he not be confused?" yeah, those were just going to keep on coming, weren't they?

"That's the point, I don't want him to figure out who it is until the very end. Hn, the more confused he becomes…the better the surprise…" this was spoken with a true grin. Surprise and mystery had to be the main ingredients to it all.

"What if you loose him along the way? What if he ends up falling for one of us instead, believing it is truly you?" Wow true, not that it couldn't happen but, that is why they were here to listen to the full plan, to clear all doubts and be alert for any mistakes or misunderstandings that could arise.

"That cannot happen. We have gone through this thoroughly. If one of you finds that they cannot do this, it's best to say it now. But remember, we do this for our friend." for a moment silence dominated the room again until one spoke up with that tone of reasoning that was better than anything else said.

"I agree. How long have we known each other? How long have we been friends? I believe we can make this happen." Now that, was truly the spirit needed for this.

"Of course we can." and they would, because they would be together in this.

"We will. I know I can do this with your help…and I thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for doing this with me." the words were filled with such gratefulness it moved a few to tears.

Smiles filled the closed room, running across the faces of teens. Soon all of what they had planned would begin. The truth was, not one of them could wait, though one was more anxious than the rest, they all had excitement written on their faces.

"When do they arrive?" was the last question asked and perhaps the most important. It would set the start button to it all.

"He arrives tonight with his sister." a heart pounded so hard, you could swear a heart attack was imminent.

"I can't wait!" was the only thing to say to avoid bursting from joy.

"Neither can we." bright smiles filled the room once again.

"Well then, let's go. There are things we must do." everything was finally going to be set in motion.

* * *

The once filled room began to empty slowly. Tasks were handed out and notes were being written, all for one person. One person would do the impossible to show another love, even though the methods were to be a bit on the complicated side but, with the help of friends, it was all easier. So as everyone went their way they couldn't help but think of that special day, that day when everything would be revealed. It was only eight and a half days away. In some way or another they could all feel love flowing through the afternoon air and they all smiled.

This was a plan too perfect and too well thought up to have a flaw. But then again, none of them had done something like this before or had actually been that in love that they would go through the trouble of romancing another. This would certainly be a first among the new generation of Konoha ninja. So in a little over eight days all would be revealed, but for now it was to remain a secret that mostly a few and more along the way would keep.

* * *

Eyes wandering in the night observe the youth from the sand. Falling over pale skin that seems to glow in the moonlight and aqua orbs rimmed coal black that sparkle. Those unknown eyes look upon him filled with deep emotion and joy.

Hidden until the right moment, they settle for just the simple admiration of the one that produces butterflies in the pit of a stomach and a flutter in a fast beating heart. A body that never thought it could feel such emotions for him, him the rarest of all gems. A heart that knew that they could be.

Friends came around declaring them to be a good match but, only after the shock floated away. Even a best friend, at first shocked, then a bit broken-hearted couldn't help but give a toothed smile at the end and volunteer to help in everything. Everyone's help insured success, it couldn't be denied but, for now, all that beating heart could do was wait. It would beat and wait for that one day.

So mysterious eyes discretely gazed from afar at the redhead, everything would begin this night.

A smile crept across thin lips in thought of a very first kiss. Cheeks couldn't help but turn a bit pink at such thought and a feeling of warmth in the pit of a stomach couldn't be stopped. It would be a hard couple of days, to have him so close and not be able to tell him all but, the heart would be patient. It would wait for the right moment.

It had been very patient in the past so this wait of only eight days would be like nothing…or so it believed.

The truth was that with every breath, the closer the heart wanted to be to the redhead's own.

**A/N**

**So this is the re-post that's a few years late (about two). Was off of FF for a while and then I had some computer problems but at least I didn't loose this story (I don't have the rest anymore) and I am able to finish it. If this is your return to it (finding it again for the second time) I hope you enjoy the changes from the prior version. And if you are completely and entirely new, well hello, welcome, I hope you like this story and I hope you review. **

**As before, I am still open to the suggestion of the secret admirer. Just a switch and it could be whoever you guys like it to be the most. You know, just saying.**


	2. Chapter 1

**You're The One That I Want**

* * *

Five in the morning.

It was five in the morning and the sun still had not shown its face or a glimpse thereof as a certain redhead opened his eyes. It was dark, very dark.

Aqua eyes examined the small bedroom he was in and then out the window that was parallel to the bed. He was beginning to get used to sleep, of course, but, he couldn't do so for more than a couple of hours still.

He sat up, looking into every single dark corner of the room thoroughly. There was nothing in there or the outside. He could have sworn he had sensed a presence in the room. It could have been a dream though. One he couldn't remember and therefore left him with that odd sensation of a presence. He wasn't used to dreams at all. Often confused them with real-life situations. Odd things that they were, supposedly could be triggered by an over active mind.

Gaara got up from the bed and walked over to the bathroom, turning the light on, he checked every single corner in there and…nothing. Not a surprise at all.

He walked out of it and towards the closet, again he checked it and still…nothing. Went to his bedroom door and opened it stepping out of the room and looking around the main room. He then crossed the room and went towards the door across the room from his. He opened it slightly to find the blonde sleeping soundlessly.

There truly was nothing, no one else there. He turned around feeling uncomfortable that he had let a dream get to him and walked back to his bedroom. He lay back down on the bed and looking up at the ceiling, he took in a deep breath and tried to relax. There was no point in thinking of it further, in a couple of hours he would be meeting with the village's Hokage and needed a rest, it had been a few days since he'd managed to sleep properly.

Gaara came to Konoha for two reasons. One was important and the other nearly made no sense at all. He was to stay in the village two weeks, along with his sister who was in the next room. Kankurou was back in Suna and the main contact to a fro. They had arrived late the night before and were staying in an Inn that the Hokage herself had chosen for them. Odd choice but, he agreed to it. Their suite had two bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, and a large living room between the two spaces.

The first reason, he was to meet with the Hokage was because they needed to go over some things, unite their villages more than before. He just had to stay about a week on official business for that. That's where the second reason came in, his sister convinced him to stay an extra week as a 'small vacation'. He denied her and she insisted until he finally agreed that it would be for two weeks but, it wasn't such a hard decision as he made it out to be. Things were running fine still among their nation and he had _wanted_ to see and spend a bit of time with the friends he had made during the last couple of years.

He really couldn't complain.

Gaara closed his eyes wanting to continue his resting routine. Before waking up so suddenly, he had managed to sleep about twenty minutes thanks to that odd presence, which he now thought, for sure, had been nothing more but a dream.

No one could get into the room, not with guards around and ninja patrolling and keeping watch. He took in a deep breath and let himself flow into sleep that, unlike other times, came quicker than he thought it would…he didn't even notice when he drifted off.

* * *

Gaara opened his eyes to the rising sun and quickly sat up. Just what the hell?

He looked at the clock on the nightstand and couldn't believe his eyes. It couldn't be, not only had he unnoticing fell asleep but, he had slept more than he normally did. It was past seven in the morning already and he was to meet with the Hokage at nine.

He quickly got up and went to ready himself and dress, making sure everything was in place. The last thing he needed was to have his sister pestering him. He had always been organized enough but, since he had changed and become Kazekage, she had became overwhelmingly protective at times. Her sisterly love was often overpowering and her protection of the Kazekage was worse, but nothing compared when the two actually intertwined. He looked in the full length mirror on the bathroom door, everything was in place. Good, he didn't look like he had just woken up and Temari would hold off, she wouldn't say a thing.

Walking back into the room he went over to make the bed, he liked leaving everything in order but, this time he just wanted to remove the evidence of oversleeping. The blonde woman next door would get worried if anything was off, especially about him.

As he folded the blanket he couldn't help but think of the early morning hours, sensing a presence, waking up so abruptly, not knowing if he had imaged it all. It had really felt real. Perhaps he should tell Temari. It could have just been a dream but, there was something about it that wouldn't let him put it at rest.

The redhead narrowed his eyes as he picked up a pillow to fluff it and laid it back down, then picked up the other to do the same but, held on to it lost in thought instead. He was only brought back to what he was doing as he heard footsteps outside his room, his sister was already up and walking about, soon she would come knocking at his door asking if he was ready so that they could get moving along. He went to place the pillow back down not wanting to give her the chance to come knocking but froze, looking down at a deep red envelope placed where the pillow had been.

He cautiously picked it up, placing the pillow down, many conclusions running through his mind.

He glared at the envelope in his hands wondering how the hell it could have gotten there. Either someone had been in his room before he had arrived or the presence he felt a few hours ago had not been part of a dream and instead a very real and tangible thing. He flipped it over and looked at the name written on it and sat back down on the bed.

Now he was truly convinced. He had not dreamt that.

_**To Gaara**_

The envelope read, his name beautifully written in gold ink.

_What's the meaning of this?_ Gaara thought as he stared at it. It couldn't actually be for him. A thousand questions flooded through his mind as he continued to stare at it. What would be anyone's purpose for it? Was it a gift? A warning? Could it be product of some enemy, someone wanting to sabotage his meetings?

Maybe that last one went a little too far but….

Who would want that…and why would they even bother? No, the real question he had to be focusing on was, when had it been left in the room? He couldn't have possibly peacefully slept through with someone in the room. He was really good at sensing others.

He stopped his train of crazy illogical thoughts and mustered up possible, realistic ones. It could just be a note from the Inn keeper and the staff, welcoming him and declaring how honored they were to receive and serve him and his sister. It could also be a note from the Hokage herself, left there before he arrived and he just hadn't noticed it earlier. There were a lot of logical explanations to it, if one dared to analyze things and not jump to any conclusion that popped up.

Gaara exhaled as he thought of the possibilities and calmed. Konoha did have very good hospitality. Though it was odd at times.

He opened the envelope, not having sensed anything odd from it, and pulled out a cream colored paper, the edges beautifully laced in red, the words written in that same deep red the envelope was. Quite lovely actually….

He read the letter, his emotions changing the very instant he read the first sentence.

"What _is_ this?" he asked himself reading it for a second time.

_**Hello Gaara,**_

_**I did not know you could sleep now. You look so beautiful asleep…so lovely…very peaceful.**_

_**I know you are curious, perhaps astounded. Don't force yourself too much though.**_

_**Reasons for this letter are as follows:**_

_**In eight days we will celebrate the day of friendship and love. The villagers like to celebrate it with a festival meant for couples…in this next week they'll woo one another in hopes of romancing the one they love, and want…they only wish to be corresponded in return…to have their love accepted.**_

_**I write to you because…**_

_**You're the one that I want…**_

_**I will woo you every one of these eight days until we meet face-to-face…don't try to understand this all quite yet, just open your mind to a new experience, open your eyes and open your bedroom door because I left you a surprise…**_

_**I'll see you in eight days…well, actually, you'll finally see me…**_

Gaara glared at the note and read it a third time. He couldn't comprehend what it all meant. He looked around his room searching for a clue as to who could have left it. Obviously, it wasn't from the Hokage, the staff, anyone that could have wanted to say 'hello'…wasn't an enemy either?

But still, they had come in while he slept and he needed to know how. How could someone come into his room when everything was locked? How did he not know that someone was there? Weren't there ninja patrolling at night?

_They want me? Who? In what way?_ He asked himself in thought. They wanted him for what exactly? It just couldn't be…

He suddenly felt very aware that the person had seen him sleeping, had been in the same room, for a while, observing him, and somehow had not awakened him. He took the envelope and walked to his door. He would have Temari analyze the note, and if needed, he would give it to the Hokage so that she could also have a team analyze it. As far as he knew, it could just be a threat of some sort.

Gaara grabbed the knob and opened the door to see Temari standing in front of him, fist up about to knock on it.

"So you're up little brother?" she asked giving him a smirk and a look he couldn't quite decipher. It wasn't like her.

"I have something to show you" he told her showing her the envelope and letter. He watched her chuckle as she took it from him. She read it quietly, and Gaara waited, examining her blank face. She didn't seem alarmed at all.

000

Temari wondered what the hell Gaara was so focused on that he had yet to notice what was behind her and couldn't help but smirk. I mean, just who didn't _see_ that? They were everywhere. Everywhere. Maybe he was suffering from temporary blindness or something.

"What do you believe it means?" he asked. Temari laughed and moved from her brother's sight, she stood next to him as he stepped out of his room, eyes focused on all the red. Well wasn't that expression something more to add to the list of changes. "What is this?" he asked her, shock very present in his tone. She lightly placed her hand on his shoulder and led him to a certain corner.

"This is the surprise this letter talks about. You see fifteen minutes ago I opened my door and saw them…I checked each and everyone Gaara…" she said looking into his eyes, confused aqua eyes stared back. "…I checked every single card…each and everyone is for you, they are _all_ for you Gaara." She told him and he looked around the room. He was so lost in uncertainty.

So this had been the reason…wow, she never thought it to be so.

000

Gaara stared at each arrangement, at each flower, each red rose, then at Temari. He was never into flowers but just the scent of them flooding the room and the color…this had to be what others would call beautiful.

"I questioned the guards, the Inn keeper, the maids and everyone else I could think of, no one saw a thing. They seem to have appeared, like that, out of thin air." She told him, sounding as surprised at her non-find as he felt about the letter.

"Impossible." Gaara whispered as he searched them again and his eyes fell upon one particular arrangement. Twelve deep red roses were in the vase and only a single white rose adorned the center.

"Read the note on_ that_ one." Temari told him. It was where she had been leading him anyway.

"Why?" he asked but only received a smile accompanied by an _I-know-something-you-don't _look. He took the small card next to the white rose and read.

_**Roses are deep red**_

_**They are white too**_

_**Can't wait 'till eight days**_

_**When I'll finally have you**_

Gaara glared at the note then at Temari, who stopped smiling. He couldn't understand a thing. Letters, notes, roses? What were the meanings of them anyway?

"Just tell me what this all means because I don't understand." He told the blonde, waiting for a logical response. A warm smile graced her lips this time as she approached him.

"Oh Gaara…" she began, placing her hands on his shoulders, touching him delicately as if he would get frightened and move away. "…you have never been through any of this, you're still new to the whole vivid emotion thing, especially when it comes to expressing them, new to understanding passions and the drives behind them. You've learned to protect what you care about …and now…" she told him running a hand through his hair.

"Now what?" he asked softly. Why wasn't she concerned, there was no anger, she wasn't confused and was so calm and was she…happy?

"…now you will learn of another type of love…" she added and sighed. So unlike her.

000

"…You have a _secret_ _admirer_…" with those words, Gaara couldn't have looked at her more confused even if he had wanted to and she wondered how she could explain it all to him simply. It was something he had yet to experience full on even if there were girls, back in Suna, who liked him."…Someone likes you Gaara, they like you a lot…" she began and he pulled away.

"Likes me? In what way?" he asked sounding utterly demanding.

"A romantic way…" she told him, simply, trying not to complicate things further.

"Romantic?" Gaara interrupted again. Nothing made any sense to him, did it? "What? Explain." she could see he was trying hard to find a reason.

"This person likes you as in more than a friend, but much closer than a brother could ever be. They believe you could be the one they spend the rest of their life with…" she tried to explain, but Gaara's eyes only opened in shock, the confusion becoming something bizarre in those aqua orbs.

"Spend…the rest of…my life?" maybe that hadn't been the right choice of words.

"No, no, no, no…not that you…" Temari began, looking into her brother's eyes. "…they only _believe_ you _could_ be. Anyway, first you must like them back and go through _many, _NUMEROUS things together before that could _ever_ be decided…" she said with a light chuckle to try and lighten up the serious mood. His features relaxed and he looked as if he had come to a realization.

"Is this like the girls back in Suna, like the ones who follow me around, trying to get my attention, when I've said many times I have no interest in them?" he asked and her laughter changed into a nervous one.

"Kind of, except that this is deeper and real. No one would ever go through all this just because they have a quick obsession of you or a simple, little crush. This person doesn't want you to pick them Gaara, this person wants you to _fall-in-love _with them and hopefully want to stay with them in something serious." She said and just waited for a reaction but, Gaara's eyes were blank once again. He was really deep in thought.

"Why…me?" He asked in a low tone that if Temari hadn't been looking at his face, seeing his lips move, she would have never known he'd asked.

"They want to share what they are with you; they want you to know them well and vice-versa." she began thinking of what she would hope for if she was in his place. "They just want to share new experiences with you, develop deeper feelings and hopefully want you to start a new relationship with them." yeah, that came out better than what she'd hoped.

"I'm not something special…I…" he began, something more in his tone this time and Temari waited for him to finish. "…You…Is this…because I'm Kazekage? Is it?" he asked reaching out his hand to give her the small card that had been on the white rose. He was afraid, she realized, to open up himself in that way.

"Open your mind Gaara." Temari told him. "This is something else, something bigger and it has nothing to do with you being Kazekage." she reassured him.

"Do you know who it is? Is that why…you are not acting like your usual self…you're so sure…so calm…Temari…wh…who is it?" he asked stepping in closer to her. Temari only smiled at him. Oh those confused eyes were a wonder indeed.

"I know nothing. It's just the feeling that I get. I'm a woman you know…I can pick up on this kind of thing." She told him, hopefully he would give it a shot. If this was how it was starting, then the person perhaps deserved a chance. Plus, that gave her the chance to beat the hell out of someone if they hurt her brother.

000

Gaara just looked at her, he wasn't sure what to say, what to ask, what he wanted to actually know anymore. He opened his mouth to speak as Temari smiled at him but, no words came out. There wasn't much he could ask if she didn't know what was really going on either.

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts and they looked at each other when a second knock was heard. Temari walked passed him towards the main door.

Deep in thought, he wondered whether some girl form Suna had followed them and done this. Could be. To tell the truth, it was hard to believe, at the moment, that anyone would actually go through so much just to show him that they were feeling deep emotions for him. Why would they? Why would someone from Konoha do such a thing?

Gaara watched as Temari opened the door and their eyes fell upon the blonde with the bright blue eyes and brilliant, big grin.

"Good morning." The blonde said in his usual, loud tone.

"What in the world are you doing here?" Temari asked him in a demanding tone only receiving a confused look from the blonde.

"Granny Tsunade wanted me to escort you to her office…" he began, raising an eyebrow at her. "…I mentioned it to you last night. Did, did you _forget_?" he asked, the blonde hadn't noticed him or what was in the room yet.

"No…no, I didn't. I remember…" she began to say. So, all of this had also affected her someway. "I just forgot for a second…" she added and smiled.

"Whatever." The blonde told her having her smile turn into a glare. "Where's Gaara?"

"You mean Kazekage-sama?" she corrected him but, the blonde only smirked at her making her glare evolve into a death one.

Gaara approached the door and pulled it completely open. He knew that even though Temari had come to terms with the blonde, he still managed to get on her bad side easily. She also tended to push him away at times though Gaara considered him his truest and closest friend. He wasn't sure if the blonde knew that though. He also had no reason to reveal it either.

"I'm right here, Naruto." He told the blonde looking into those bright blue eyes smiling. He watched Naruto smile back before the blonde looked passed him and Temari into the rose filled room behind them. Blue eyes opened in shock and bewilderment and somehow Gaara could sense what would come next.

He really didn't want to give any explanation until he was sure of things. He needed to know who it was.

"Where in the world did all these roses come from?" he asked and no one answered. Something shined in Naruto's eyes, that hidden knowledge look he had received from his sister earlier, and the blonde smirked looking at Temari. "Ah…I get it…" he began, a mischievous look in those orbs "…somebody has a lover…" the blonde more sang than actually spoke and Temari glared again, this time her face red with anger.

"This is none of your business, you blonde idiot!" she told him firmly.

"Temari." Gaara interrupted before she could say any more. He looked at Naruto and sighed, he trusted him, might as well tell him, perhaps he could help.

"They are mine, Naruto." He said waiting for it to sink into the blonde. Naruto only chuckled.

"You don't have to lie, Gaara…" he told him, looking into his eyes then looking back at Temari. "I won't tell anyone Temari…I can keep a secret, I swear! I promise! So…who are they from?" he continued to ask smiling at Temari, waiting for her answer.

"You really are an idiot, aren't you?" Temari asked the blonde, shocked and amazed at his lack of awareness. "Gaara already told you Naruto, they aren't mine, they're his."

Naruto looked at both siblings and chuckled, then he straight out laughed. Only after catching his breath did he speak again.

"I won't fall for it…you're funny…" he told Temari through softer laughter but, it died down and halted as he looked into their eyes, their faces serious. They weren't joking. "No way…no way…" he began to say stepping in closer to him.

"Someone sent you flowers? No, sent you roses? _This_ many roses?" he continued to ask in shock, waving his arms around all exaggerated.

Gaara examined his reaction carefully though. There was just something…

"Who would do this? Why?" the blonde asked them both. No, he seemed genuinely shocked. He was analyzing…yes, shocked.

"Some sort of secret admirer, if you know what that is…" Gaara told him.

"Of course I do…and this is so not fair! Even in Konoha girls like you more than me." Naruto whined and both siblings looked at him confused.

"Do you only think of yourself?" Temari began about to start lecturing the blonde. They really couldn't do this now.

"It doesn't matter, Naruto…" Gaara began to say, looking into Naruto's blue eyes. "I have no interest in any of that, I'm not really interested in anyone either…I'm too busy for things like that." He said stepping into the hallway, followed by Temari. She closed the door behind them, shutting the blonde out of the room.

Naruto looked at them both confused, but stared into Gaara's eyes. There was a light of determination in his eyes that warned the redhead that he was about to get convinced to accept what was going on, no matter what.

"But don't you wish to know?" he asked and Gaara tried to prepare himself, which never really worked with the blonde because you never knew what to expect from him in the first place.

"Why do you ask that?" Temari interrupted. "Do _you_ know who it is? You _know_, don't you? And all your shock and surprise are just an act, Isn't it?" She asked stepping closer to the blonde a heavy atmosphere surrounding her as she tried to intimidate and pressure the blonde, but Gaara knew when she just ended up shocked. She couldn't find any fault in the blonde's reaction. Naruto remained still, calm, looking at her, sincerity in his eyes.

"I don't know who it could be, but…I would like to know...just know who it was, if someone did something like that for me…sent me dozens of red roses…" he said his voice firm, collected, serious, his eyes glittering before he looked away and turned. There was sincerity in his voice and by the way his sister let out a breath he knew she was regretting trying to pressure him. They both watched as he began to walk without saying another word.

They looked at each other for a moment, Gaara knew his face was devoid of any emotion but, he could see the worry in her face. They turned as well and followed the blonde. Gaara could only contemplate on his words as they walked to the Hokage's office.

* * *

Tsunade and Gaara met over breakfast, Temari excusing herself to spend time with Sakura in the village. Unlike Gaara, she was already beginning to suspect everyone who knew them well enough and one of her first suspects was the pink haired girl. She had often been around her brother in the last couple of years and she had reasons to suspect but, she couldn't quite believe that she could be either. Temari could imagine Sakura falling for Kankuro, if he were cooler and more popular. She couldn't quite picture her falling for Gaara but, she just couldn't be sure. Anything was possible.

She met her found nothing suspicious then moved on to the next girl, then the next and the next. There had been no signs of anything suspicious. They were all going about their daily routines and missions.

After their meeting Gaara met up with her once again and they both walked to the Inn together. Meeting a couple of the village's ninja along the way, both her and Gaara taking the chance to slightly glare at them in suspicion, even though they knew them very well. Other than that, their conversation along the way had been close to nonexistent, until they both mentioned that Naruto had not accompanied them because he had been called on a quick mission.

"Who would be interested in me?" Gaara had asked her softly as they walked afterward. She could see he was skeptical still.

"Who wouldn't be?" Temari answered with a question and smiled saying nothing else. She knew that Gaara analyzed the question deeper than what it was intended to and was lost in thought of all the possible answers to it.

Their short conversation ended there.

* * *

By the time they had reached the Inn, and Gaara was back in his room, the curiosity had overcome him in such a way that, he actually wanted to figure out who it was. He wanted to know the why's and when and if he could ever develop feelings, of that sort, for someone else.

He felt so curious, but so damn curious, it seemed foreign to him.

He took out the letter and the small card and read them over and over again. After about a thousand times of re-reading, certain phrases and words caught his attention and he went to over to Temari's room for answers.

"Would a girl call me handsome or beautiful?" was the first thing he asked the blonde catching her by surprise, walking in. Temari looked up from the book she had been reading confused.

"I guess it would depend on the girl…why?" she responded and asked. The question obviously intrigued her as well as she slightly turned her head at an angle.

"Who is always supposed to '_woo_' who?" he continued asking, ignoring her question.

Temari put down her book and sat upright as if she hadn't noticed or thought of what the letter actually said either, until now.

"Normally?" she asked Gaara, raising an eyebrow and he nodded. "The dominant in the relationship. A _man_ will go great lengths to impress the woman he likes…" she responded. He watched as her eyes drifted to the letter and note in his hands. She then looked up to his eyes and there was an enlightenment in them that told him she finally understood where it was heading. They were finally on the same page.

"You actually think so?" she asked and Gaara nodded. It was entirely possible. "But that means that…" confusion and shock appeared in her stare along with a bit of doubt and anger. "…it could be _any_ one of them…and there's _a lot _of them." She said and Gaara walked back to his room leaving his pondering sister behind.

So then there _were_ more possibilities. The person that was doing this sure knew what to write and in what way so that there wouldn't be any holes and a bunch of possibilities sprang up from one short letter.

* * *

Gaara lay on his bed that night thinking of how he could handle the situation. He wouldn't fall asleep incase his secret admirer appeared. He still couldn't quite believe it all and he was somewhat skeptical. All he wanted to know was the truth, get to the bottom of things and understand just why the person did this instead of telling him face-to-face. The _wooing_ thing could have been done very differently.

He picked up a book and began to read, a book of two girls who posed as boys, became pirates and set off on an adventure to escape an evil man who wanted to marry and enslave one of them. He couldn't concentrate on it much though, his mind drifting back to Naruto's words. It sounded as though the blonde _did_ know his secret admire but, could the blonde have actually lied to him? Or was he just keeping a secret he couldn't tell?

It was the same thing in the end.

He couldn't doubt the blonde though, Naruto was his friend. He was deep in thought analyzing things when he closed his eyes to rest them, the lamp light still on.

_Who? Why?_ He asked himself in thought._ Red roses for me?_

Words he had memorized echoed in his mind.

…_**you look so beautiful…so lovely…**__**You're the one that I want**__**…well…you'll see me…**_

_Who? _He thought as he tried to relax. _Why?_ Was the last thing he thought of as he drifted away into a deep sleep.

* * *

**A/N**

**The way this re-write is turning out, I think there will be a few important changes from the original of this story I had started years ago. I believe it's because I've matured a bit more. Well, I hope you all review. And I'm glad to see _you_ are still around.**


	3. Chapter 2

**You're The One That I Want**

_**2**_

* * *

"_You are so beautiful." A whisper in the dark._

Gaara opened his eyes startled. He stared blankly across the room and breathed…. Someone had just run fingers through his hair, he felt them…so softly, it almost seemed impossible-

No, maybe it was possible…. No, it couldn't have been.

But…there had also been a soft breath, over his face before feeling soft lips over his cheek.

Gaara couldn't help but lay still as he thought about what he had felt over and over again. Did it really happen? Or was it his imagination?

The redhead touched his cheek, running his fingers over it as lightly as he could and took in a deep breath as it hit him; the sensation of fingers and lips over his cheek still remained.

It couldn't be true.

He sat up trying to figure out if it all had been a dream, a figment of his imagination. He knew it had not been, it couldn't have been and going by what had occurred the day before, he doubted it was a creation of his unconscious mind...unfortunately he wasn't awake enough to analyze things further. He felt odd. Faint somehow, lightheaded.

He looked around the dark room and then out the window. The sun hadn't risen yet, only a thin line across the horizon gave any indication of the approaching dawn. His hands fell to his lap feeling the book he had been reading the night before.

He fell asleep again, after choosing not to. He had never been able to not control it, just what the hell happened? He was used to not sleeping and he did it now, only because he could and needed to rest sometimes. His body accepting the shutoff now and again but, never two nights in a row…and never when he was trying to avoid it, so what the heck?

His mind wandered back to what he had felt just moments before he woke.

He became lost in his own thoughts again.

It wasn't a dream. That touch, there was a whisper of something too…

Swinging his legs off the bed he sat still for a moment then reached out towards the nightstand to turn the lamp on. He then got up and walked over to the bathroom. At the sink he rinsed his face and grabbed a towel to dry off and stopped as he looked at his reflection in the mirror.

Eyeing himself he thought of everything that was going on, that was to happen still, about yesterday, today…. So many questions.

Why would anyone want him? Did they really believe he was capable of returning their affections? He wasn't even into the ones that were after him in his own village…couldn't see a single one of them turning into something more than just a friend to him. How was he supposed to correspond, play along? Was it possible for things to be different here? Could it? If it was the right person, would it be?

Gaara just stared at his reflection, the dark circles around his eyes, his messy red hair that even when he combed and brushed it a thousand times remained the same, messy. He, who hardly smiled, even in happiness, who couldn't manifest what he felt inside outwardly as openly as others did. He looked at his pale skin, his torso. He wasn't overly defined or muscular like his brother, he was thinner, shorter. He stared at his features; he sure wasn't as beautiful as his sister either.

There were answers.… Right in the mirror. Everything he was receiving, every gift and every word written should be directed towards another, not really him….

Temari or Kankuro…they would have been better choices. This person had to be focused solely on the fact that he was Kazekage and nothing more. Just like that little so-called fan club of girls that _died_ to be with him. It was the same. A fixation that only came because of what he was, not really who.

Gaara pushed the thoughts out of his mind; he wouldn't focus on them any longer, he didn't want to anymore.

He walked back into the lighted bedroom and froze as he looked at the lamp.

Great.

He slowly walked up to it, the fine, thin hairs on the back of his neck rising. Someone had _been_ there alright. He stared at what leaned against the thing…. A red envelope. Neatly placed, just waiting for him. His eyes were about to scout the outside again but, came back up to the bulb once more, instead, as he realized one more thing.

"I never turned the light off…I fell asleep with it on." He had to tell himself in order to believe it. He realized he had turned on a light he had _never_ turned off.

Why? He did not know at the moment but, shivers went down his spine as he looked around and saw the arrangement of the one white rose over on a corner table where, he was sure, a vase had been. Temari had not placed it there either, he knew that, she had fallen asleep long before him, so then….There was only one conclusion. Only One.

As he stood there, arms crossed over his chest, his eyes on the roses then on the envelope, then on the roses again, he had the sudden urge to go and wake Temari or call on the guards but, he didn't follow it. He did not want to do either thing, he wanted to deal with this, himself. He needed to. Whatever this was, only he had the power to end it.

Gaara walked up to the bed and sat, looked at the envelope and picked it up. Thoughts of how he could uncover this person came to mind. He already knew the person had to be a ninja, it was only logical. A genius, to have everything so well calculated, the ninja just had to be gifted. The person monitored him, kept their eyes on him, again logically, the ninja knew when he fell asleep. The person left no trace behind either, concealed their chakra somehow, their scent, didn't make any type of noise as not to wake him…someone well trained. An excellent ninja.

The redhead looked at the envelope, perhaps he shouldn't keep at it anymore…it was just so confusing and senseless…but, there was something deep down inside, some little voice telling him he should. It told him that he _needed_ to. Without thinking about if further, he took it and opened the envelope taking out the cream colored paper. It was the same color and make as the first letter and he began to read it, analyzing it at first then perplexing him into senselessness.

The sentences written in it, apart from confusing him further, filled him with doubts that came to him with every word read. It was hard to take it all in. How was he supposed to deal with this?

_**Good morning Gaara, my sleeping beauty,**_

_**I know what you're thinking… 'Who could it be? A villager, an outsider…a ninja…but, which one?' Am I correct, my dearest? **_

_**Well, I'll respond just one question…yes, I am a ninja. **_

_**Are you more or less confused now? I **_**won't**_** tell you who I am yet. And trying to find out who I am, or how I do the things I do, won't really help you much either. You must be patient and wait…it's only seven more days, anyway…you can wait…can you?**_

_**I stood in front of you yesterday, looked into those lovely eyes of yours, but, I caught you slightly glare.**_

_**As small as it was, it broke me up a bit, so I beg you not to do it again. Remember this heart beats only for you, you wouldn't want to break it, would you?**_

_**Did your heart beat as quickly as mine when you saw me? I wonder, and I hope it will today. I want it to…. I must apologize for one thing though: kissing your cheek without permission…I couldn't hold back…you looked so…serene. Your deep, fiery red hair, your soft pale skin, so lovely, so…perfect. **_

_**Your eyes amaze me, the color…that stare…penetrating, containing something deep inside that is so innocent still, a curiosity, this child like quality that doesn't take away from your maturity, rather it adds to your charm…to your appeal. My breath is taken away when they find me and my stomach is invaded by warmth…I feel as though you see so deep inside me…**_

_**Gaara, this is not easy to write…I'm unaware of your reactions, I wish I knew them…but, know this, I like you more than what I understand myself. I like you a lot…I don't know if you'll like me, and even if you don't, well…we could still be friends. I want to believe though, that dreams can come true…so just be patient, keep your eyes open…open your mind for me…**_

_**I like you, Gaara…yes you and no other, the silent, emotionless-seeming ninja many had feared and now depend on, count on…. **_

_**You.**_

_**I leave you now with your thoughts, we'll see each other later. So wash up, get dressed and go out unto the village and find me…even if you don't know which one…**_

_**You'll know who I am soon…I promise.**_

_**P.S.**_

_**You should go out to the main room now, I don't want your second surprise to suspiciously vanish thanks to your sister…so go now my sweet…sweets await you!**_

So it _was_ a ninja. And they had seen him, face-to-face. He had glared at everyone starting with Naruto and ending with Ino and Hinata whom he and Temari had seen before reaching the had seen _all_ of them the day before, he knew all of them. Could even recognize the others he didn't interact with….

Was there another word that meant confused multiplied by a hundred? He could really use it right now.

Gaara stood from the bed and went to the main room. He would get whatever there was out there and then get dressed. The sun was showing its glow over the horizon already and Temari would soon wake….

He looked around and saw nothing, until his eyes fell on the wrapped box on the table. The wrapping paper used being red with gold lined cream colored hearts on it, tied up with a white ribbon. Gaara stared at it for a moment. Odd. The box wasn't like your normal box, it was not wide but, it was tall, out of the ordinary. He continued to stare as he walked up to it slowly, then impulsively picked it up and went back to the bedroom, shutting the door.

He placed it on the nightstand next to the letter and sat on the bed. No thoughts came to his mind this time and it should have disturbed him a bit, but it…didn't.

He was shocked, confused…lost…familiar emotions he should have known how to deal with but, now felt entirely different. Out of every single emotion he had ever felt; friendship, caring for others, his family, his village…. None of those emotions, not fear, anger, sorrow, appreciation…none of those could possibly come close to the feeling that now seemed to flow into him, into the pit of his stomach, this emotion was alien to him.

Gaara reached out and took the letter and for once in his life his hand slightly trembled with that new emotion that threatened to grow stronger. The letters were different, this person was different, different from all the rest he could encounter with similar purposes. Just how did they know what to tell him to get him thinking and doing things he would have normally ignored or not taken into account?

Whomever it was they were capturing him, weren't they? Intriguing him. Whatever plan they had conjured up was working. Of course he wanted to know who it was now…and if he thought about it, he wouldn't mind waiting either. It wasn't a trap, it sure didn't feel like one and it wasn't a prank….

Gaara put the letter down next to him and brought the gift box to his lap, though no one stood next to him he could feel blood rushing to his face and he had to take a deep breath. Perhaps he shouldn't do it but…he took the small card on the side of the bow and placed the box on the bed.

_**To my sweet wonder…I've come to make you sweeter…**_

Just what should he do? Open it and play along or throw it all away and go back home? Gaara stared at the card, at the words written on it. As if it could have the answer on what to do. He flipped it over and froze.

_**Open it**_

The words written on the other side were the response to the questions in his mind. How would someone know what he could have thought and react to it? That voice deep inside him was now a feeling of pure curiosity and it screamed at him to open the box and get it over with, that there was really no other logical choice.

Fine, he would listen to that inner voice but, only because he needed to know more and find the person. He was just intrigued and curious…and wanted to know what kind of present -he meant person- it was….

Or so he wanted to convince himself it was only about that and not because he kind of wanted a chance to know if he could...

…well, he shouldn't go deeper into that yet.

His finger tips reached out and touched the silky ribbon, intertwining an end around them to pull it slowly, cautiously, removing it and placing it to the side. He found a small flap and pulled it to see the paper open up completely, on its own, falling to the sides and he gazed at what was revealed to him utterly confused.

He inhaled and became even more perplexed as a delicious, enticing scent filled his nose. Four small boxes set each on top of each other stared back at him. This was going to be…interestingly different.

The one on the top was a pale metallic, mint green box, beneath it followed a metallic sand colored one, then a golden one. The last box on the bottom was a deep metallic red, they were all the same size, varying only in height and not really by much.

Yet another letter rested on the top of the green box and this time around he just took it and unfolded it and began to read, there really wasn't a reason to restrain himself at this point. Curiosity had already taken over him.

He stopped after the first line.

_**My sweetest…open each box and set them in the order they came before you continue to read…**_

Gaara looked at the boxes once more. His instincts came back for a moment and he reviewed the choices he had. He could either go get Temari, get the guards as well, get rid of the boxes, letters, notes, flowers and everything else away this very instant and return to Suna immediately as he had thought a few minutes ago…or…he could follow this person's game and discover the truth, because it was some sort of game…wasn't it? Playing some form of hide-and-seek.

He couldn't even convince himself well enough to do the former and ended up reaching over to the boxes, setting each next to each other, then removing the lids of them all. He glared at the contents as the sweet smell intensified.

He really should not be doing this but, his eyes, out of their own accord, drifted over to the next words written on the paper in his hands…

…_**I would never harm you…**_

Gaara stared at the words. This person _did_ know him well enough to know how he might react to everything and had words for every reaction, almost as if they wanted to reassure him. This person wanted Gaara to have trust in them and feel safe…he wasn't going to get harmed….

Gaara pushed those thoughts away not wanting to fall into it too deep and continued to read.

…_**sweetest Gaara, what you see here are chocolates…**_

The redhead looked at them, he couldn't remember ever eating them. The ones in the metallic green were set upon a thin pale green paper, small, thin, squared dark chocolates. Ten. The next were placed on caramel colored paper, smooth milk chocolates. Another ten. The gold box had ten white chocolates clusters topped with finely chopped nuts, set upon thin cream colored paper. The last box had ten as well but, these were bell shaped set upon red paper.

"Chocolates." He said out loud as if trying to convince himself that this was actually a gift. No one had ever given him such thing. They could be poisoned or drugged-

…_**I don't know if you have ever had one but, here you have ten of each of the ones I like…I hope you'll like them too…and there's no trick to them…so don't worry, they are just chocolates…**_

Right. Gaara let the letter fall on the bed and stood. There was no way he was going to do this. He walked over to the door and grabbed the knob, turned it and stopped.

"I'm going to find this person. I can't do this, no…not this way…" he trailed off hand still on the knob. He felt frustrated, a bit irritated, and unable to comprehend that feeling in the pit of his stomach. He didn't know what reactions he should have, what he should think, what he should feel or do…

He sighed and held the knob hard before letting it go. He turned and leaned against the door, crossing his arms over his chest. He knew he was glaring, he knew the feeling well and he could care less. He glared at the letter on the pillow, glared at the roses, glared at the chocolates and wished he could glare at himself.

'…_they want to share what they are with you... Open your mind, Gaara…. This is something else….' _His sister's words from the day before ran through his mind and echoed.

"Temari must know…" he told himself releasing his arms and walking over to the bed. He sat back down and analyzed his sister's words. "…she must know what all of this is, she wouldn't lie to me…" he whispered, took the letter and continued to read.

…_**the firsts are chocolate mints. A creamy mint center covered in rich dark chocolate…. **_

_**The mint is refreshing like the color of your eyes, so crisp…and the rich dark chocolate brings out the flavor, like the dark around your eyes does those precious, beautiful orbs….**_

_**Taste one…let it melt in your mouth, tingle on your tongue and drive you to an exhilaration as your eyes do me…**_

Gaara read those lines for a second time. Fine.

He looked at the dark chocolates, just stared. Why would his eyes be compared to them? He read the lines once more, he needed to open up his mind to understand all of this better. Right. He only understood that somehow sensations produced by them were the closest thing to the sensations he produced in that person. He didn't want to eat one, the whole situation was strange. It was an odd way to compare and explain things…it really was.

Examining the letter further, three words caught his eyes. Damn it.

…_**Please, try one…**_

Fine, he would just play along. Anyway, he just had to do it once, then it was over with and no one could say he didn't try.

Reaching for one he hesitated for a moment and then, by impulse, he thought no more and picked one dark chocolate up. He caught its scent and found it to have nothing but that mixture of sweet mint and chocolate that deep down inside, though he didn't want to admit it, enticed him. He took it all to his mouth and waited. He closed his eyes as he bit into it once.

Chocolate and mint mixed in his mouth as his tongue ran along the now two pieces of chocolate. It began to melt in his warm mouth and he couldn't deny the sensation. He had tried many things in his life but, for the first time, he found a taste that was just…interesting. He bit into it again, letting the mix mingle on his tongue. His lips tingled and a sensation of satisfaction ran through his body.

He took a deep breath and, to his surprise, enjoyed it to the very last bit. He would never admit it to himself but, it was delicious. Not too sweet, light, refreshing.

He was already lost without knowing it.

…_**The second ones, they are chocolate covered caramel. It is just that, rich, soft, sweet caramel covered by milk chocolate…. **_

_**The caramel is so soft and sweet like the scent of your skin…the milk chocolate, splendid and smooth, like the touch of it, so…delightful….**_

_**Taste one…let it lay on your tongue, let it linger and let it innocently seduce you as your scent, your skin does me…**_

Gaara took the second chocolate, not bothering to think too much about the words or it this time around. There was truly no point in thinking about it any longer, he was already convinced he should just try things…even if the words seemed a bit out of place. Especially because they were meant for him.

No one had ever expressed themselves this way about him and though they embarrassed him a bit, that someone would say those things, he didn't know what to actually think of it. He closed his eyes trying to focus on the silky sweet chocolate and caramel.

_Smoothness_, _skin_…_touch_.

Something different, deeper sparked in him in that moment. Between words and taste there was something hidden and for a moment he believed he could fall into it all if he just gave in completely….

…_**the third ones, lovely Gaara, are white chocolate covered almonds…. It's a sweet, natural almond, covered in gratifying white chocolate….**_

_**The almond is perfect, crunchy, nutty, a surprise, a fine mix to the subtle chocolate…like your character, more captivating than would ever be believed…**_

_**The white chocolate is flawless, sweet but, smooth. The one to hold such surprise…. Something so captivating inside something so mellow…**_

_**Taste one…bite into it and let your tongue taste the perfect mix…let the sensation take over you as your presence does me…**_

Gaara took the third chocolate to his mouth. It lightly melted before he bit into it. He found the taste to be so different from the other two. This chocolate was sweeter, softer than the others, the almond was truly perfect, crunchy…natural. He closed his eyes, feeling a strange tingle over his skin. Only one thought entered his mind then; if he produced such sensations in another person, how could he not want to know who the person was? How could he ignore it? Naruto was right, he would wait, find the person look into their eyes and see if it was true.

He opened his eyes to look at the letter, there was only one more left.

…_**the fourth ones are a surprise…take one…let it run over your soft lips and then taste it…let it melt in your mouth…melt into it Gaara…as I melt into you…**_

Gaara looked at the words wide eyed, before looking at the bell shaped chocolates. He wanted to skip them and read on but he just couldn't. For some reason they seemed both exciting and inappropriate. This was turning into something-

Well, he didn't know what word to use but, it seemed…intimate. Secret.

Could he follow them through? Again, three little words encouraged him to just do so.

…_**please, take one…**_

Gaara placed the letter down and reached out for one. He looked at its odd bell shape and captured a whiff of the chocolate along with a fruity after scent. He closed his eyes and brought it to his lips, it made contact and they tingled in anticipation.

It was so smooth. Running it over his lips, they parted instinctively and he let his tongue caress the tip, the velvety sweetness, before he took it all to his mouth. He had meant to let it melt in his mouth at first, had meant to enjoy it slowly but, he could not resist and bit into it.

His fingers came up to his lips as a new flavor exploded into his mouth. A sweet syrup, he could only identify as cherry, flooded his mouth and a small round fruit sat on his tongue. The two flavors were now infused in his mouth becoming one and he toyed with the cherry before biting into it softly.

He took the letter one more time and started to read again.

…_**Surprise! Cherries in a sweet syrup, inside a chocolate…. A sweet kiss…isn't it wonderful?**_

A kiss?Gaara narrowed his eyes and continued.

_**A ripe red cherry that captures your taste buds in a trance…almost like the deep red of your hair does me…the chocolate, silky, smooth, not too sweet…holding in that little surprise. It kisses you at first, then it all just melts into you….**_

_**It is like you, holding in how special you are, that secret surprise that might seem odd or mellow but in reality is so much more. Just surprising…I know you are this way. What would unleashing that secret be like? What would your lips be like? They must taste this way, no…**_

…_**they must be a thousand times better than any of this…**_

His lips? What would they taste like? Gaara unconsciously licked his lips as he thought of someone else's on them. He touched them and felt them softly tremble….

"What is all this?" he asked himself, each word of the letter getting into him. Entering his mind and flowing through his body as if the person that had written them stood in front of him. New emotions were springing up in him, new sensations he had never felt and suddenly all he wanted to know was, who the person was. He wanted to look into their eyes and demand that they tell him everything face-to-face, maybe then he could understand, perhaps then he could trust…want, without feeling restricted. Wait, could he want?

He let himself fall back on the bed, next to the four boxes and held the letter to his face, he would finish reading the thing, he needed to, now.

_**Gaara, each chocolate had to be eaten in this order…. Only the sweet caramel can calm down the strong mint and prepare the way for the almond which seems to go perfectly with the cherry…they are a wonderful balance, my favorites…just like you, my favorite, perfect…to me. **_

_**Everything you are is a perfect balance and I wonder if you realize just how much you entice me.**_

_**That is why I'll entice your lips, your mouth, your mind…all of you and your senses with these. Since we must wait, just indulge yourself in them. Don't refuse me, ignore my words or what you are feeling…. I mean everything I say, every last word…if you only knew how much I mean them.**_

_**I can only send you a sweet kiss in words…enjoy your chocolates…**_

…_**only seven more days…wait a little longer and then we can enjoy them together…**_

_**P.S. **_

_**The mints are my favorite among the four…I hope yours too…your eyes are lovely, especially when you look at me…**_

Gaara read the last line one more time before he completely understood and smiled, he really did like them too.

The redhead laid there, on a bed that wasn't his, in a village days away from his home. His thoughts were filled with words and possible meanings, enticing but confusing phrases, with a sensation in the pit of his stomach that contradicted all he was feeling…and all he could seem to do was: continue to eat more chocolates in the order they were given and let himself become lost because, he simply had no reference which he could hold on to or a manual on how he should have been reacting to it all.

He wondered how it could work out between him and whoever it was. Wondered how he should feel, if that soft burning over his skin, that light pulsing feeling down in his belly, that bit of air not reaching his lungs, that threatened to leave him needing an oxygen tank….

Was it all what he was meant to feel?

A ninja from the village of Konoha had their eyes on him, knew him well enough to know how he would react to everything and where he would lack guidance, and had involved his sister in the whole plan. He was now filled with unanswered questions that he would have no response to for seven more days. For seven days he would suspect everyone and be to the brim with curiosity…seven more days.

If he could just find a clue of some sort…anything from anyone….

One name came to his mind but, he pushed it away as he continued to eat sweets, re-reading the letter. He wouldn't get anything out of anyone not even if he-

Gaara's trail of thoughts changed and he smirked knowing how he could figure a few things out.

He ate a fourth cherry filled chocolate, letting it melt a bit before he bit into it as he stared at the ceiling lost in thought. He wanted to know. Oh, and he _would_ know.

"Are you up, Gaara?" he heard his sister ask before a knock came at the door.

Gaara got up swiftly, his heart beat quickened as he heard the second round of knocks. He didn't know what to do with everything.

"Gaara?" he could hear her asked worried.

He looked at his bed, the letters and the boxes of chocolates. He felt a bit out of himself and embarrassed and took one of the bed sheets and threw it over everything, making sure that it all was covered.

000

Temari could hear some light noise in the room but, her brother did not respond and a bit of fear entered her mind. She decided to just open the door, wondering if Gaara was fine.

" Gaara, I'm coming in…please, don't be naked…" she said with a nervous chuckle, hoping that he was fine or just taking a shower, not suspiciously missing.

Temari opened the door and her eyes fell over a flushed, slightly startled Gaara standing in front of the bed, chewing on something discreetly. She walked up to him with intentions to revise him up close but, he pulled away from her.

"Are you alright?" she asked him observing him closely. His eyes went blank and his face lost the flush as his eyes met hers.

"I am fine, Temari." Gaara told her as he turned to not face her. " Perfectly fine." he added and she analyzed him.

Gaara was refusing to meet her eyes and she knew he was hiding something and why he would hide it from her, she did not know. She only wanted to see him well.

He was nervous, she realized and wondered why. Perhaps, she had interrupted something boys did at his age in private-

The thought quickly left her mind, Gaara was _not_ at all like _that_. Kankuro, maybe, but not Gaara.

"What?" Gaara asked her, turning to face her once again and she knew something was totally wrong. She examined every corner of his face. When her eyes fell to his lips, she saw the small spot at the corner of his mouth, took in a deep breath and caught the scent she had ignored before.

"What's the matter with you?" she asked him raising an eyebrow and saw some pink over his cheeks again, though his face remained blank. Temari looked around the room and her eyes fell over the bed. "There is a smudge in the corner of your mouth…" she told him and smirked as he quickly wiped his mouth, his cheeks redder. She took a step closer to the bed.

"Nothing." was his only response and she wondered why he would lie. Temari chuckled as she grabbed the sheet on the bed and just pulled it right off. She looked at the letter, the boxes of chocolates and smiled as she saw Gaara's blank, but deep red face.

"Chocolates?" she asked him with a smile. "Eating chocolates, at 7:23 in the morning?" she laughed, not being able to hold it in.

"N…no?…" Gaara began to tell her and she narrowed her eyes. "…Fine, yes. They are from my secret admirer. There was a letter here when I woke…and they were out on the table in the next room. They are…good and I…like them, especially the mint ones…and I do not care if it is morning. I can have what I want." _His_ secret admirer? Now when had he been convinced?

Temari only smiled looking into her brother's eyes. His innocent declaration, the blush was gone and only a bit of pink remained on his cheeks and she wanted to hug him. It had been so many years since she had seen him this way, acting his age, as a normal teenage would to such situation. She wanted to hug him, ask him so many things, how he felt, who he wanted it to be, what he wished to do but, she would not ask. She would let him fall into all the new emotions and situations and if he wanted, he would come to her and tell her all, out of his own free will.

"Sweets ruin your appetite, Gaara…how many have you eaten?" she asked him with a smile instead.

000

Gaara looked away from his sister. Her smile made him feel uneasy and he wondered what she thought of him now. He was acting like a small child, lying when he was caught doing something wrong, but, had he truly done anything wrong?

"How many?" she asked him again and this time it registered and he realized how many he had eaten and probably would have continued eating if she had not come to his room.

"Four…" he told her and paused.

"Only four?" Temari sighed. "That won't really take away…" she began to add and he cut her off.

"…of every box…" he told her, looking into her eyes. Temari's face went from shock to a clever smirk over her lips. She looked at the boxes and he knew, she knew something he did not. "What is it?" he asked her.

"So you ate sixteen?" she asked him. "You filled your belly with sweets and forgot that we planned breakfast with Naruto, Sakura and that Uchiha look-a-like…I told you last night that I spoke to Sakura about it." she told him and he didn't quite get why they would care, why they would even know-

"You will NOT be hungry...you won't eat and when everyone asks why, you'll have to say it was because you pigged out an chocolates that '_your secret admirer'_ sent you." she told him and he watched her walk to the door.

Gaara sat on the bed, next to the boxes. Would they even notice? They wouldn't, anyway, maybe none of them were his admirer and he was safe. It wasn't like they would go on about that-

"Do NOT eat anymore. Get dressed, I'm going to talk to the guards again…" she added.

"Why talk to the guards?" he demanded of her. He already knew they knew nothing, nobody knew anything and they were probably not even necessary if everyone was in on this.

"I want to know if they saw or heard anything…" No one would speak even if they had.

"There is really no point to it, Temari. I know you know who this person is, I know they know, I believe everyone knows so, there is no point to pretend…I know you help them…" his words were interrupted by her laugh.

"I did help them, this is true…but, it was only to get you to stay longer…" she began and her laugh faded. "…otherwise I'm practically in the same position as you, I don't know who this person is…the identity is a complete mystery to me, Gaara. There are just too many involved and they exist only to confuse me…that's all I can tell you…I was just told to convince you."

"All you can tell me?" he asked her and she nodded. "May I ask one thing then, if there is nothing more, you can tell me?" he asked and she nodded once more. "Is all of this real?"

000

Temari smiled at her brother, she was more than certain of the answer. "It is more real than you think. More real than what _I _thought at first. There are things I want to know myself. I thought they were kidding but, when I saw the flowers, now this…it just has to be real, Gaara." she told him and he nodded.

She wanted to ask him many questions once again but, deciding not to, she walked out of his room instead, leaving him to think alone. There were things he needed to realize himself still…not that she didn't have to come to term with a few things as well.


	4. Chapter 3

**You're The One That I Want**

_**3**_

* * *

Gaara thought over everything his sister had said as he dressed, wondering when she had been drafted to join the Secret Admirer's Club. Whoever it was sure was clever, taking in his own sister, someone that was always by his side. He wondered what words they had utilized, the woman trusted very few and scrutinized everything. Plain and simple, she wasn't easily convinced of anything. At least he had thought she wasn't.

If they were able to gain her trust and have her play along, the deal was real. His doubts about it being false or a prank becoming useless. Still, he needed to figure out why she trusted someone who was a complete mystery to her, along with discovering who it was. Not to mention he needed to figure out his own emotions. That mysterious one he was starting to feel…well, he just needed to get deeper into them all. Should probably try to find answers to those dozens of unasked questions he was ignoring about himself as well. The ones he'd never had any reasons to ask himself before and the ones that, though he hated to admit it, frightened him because he lacked the correct answer to them.

"Gaara, are you done in there?" he heard Temari ask from the other side of the door and he spoke up.

"Yes." he told her fastening the last buckle to his vest.

"Good, _he's_ here." she told him and she didn't need to specify. There was only one person she could have referred to in that way.

Gaara stared at the door. So the mission _he_ had gotten was already over. Great, he needed to get in line and face everyone anyway…even if it confused the hell out of him further. He really hoped the blonde hadn't lied to him the day before. Though if he had, it had to be with reason. Perhaps a promise made to his admirer-

"She means, Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage is here." he heard the blonde say firmly in a tone that sounded as if he were grinning and Gaara walked up to the door taking one last glance back towards the envelopes peeking out from underneath the pillow. He smirked to himself for a moment with anticipation and opened up the door.

He couldn't deny that he felt butterflies in the pit of his stomach as he looked at that grinning tanned face. It wasn't so much that it was the blonde but the possibility of finding out the truth and receiving those answers he was longing for.

He was going to end up sitting face-to-face with his admirer, he could feel it and the blonde was going to be the one to get him there. There was no mistake about it, he was going to look at the person eye-to-eye and show him or her that he was readying himself for whatever came next.

Sure he had almost lost it during the early morning hours but, he couldn't let it all get to him and confuse him into committing mistakes. Sure he had eaten those many chocolates…and his admirer, and everyone else for that matter, would know but, what could he do now? He needed to keep moving on, he had taken the choice of continuing whatever this was.

"Hey, Gaara, good morning." the blonde told him in that coarse tone of his and Gaara met those true blue eyes, something he couldn't identify stirring in him the moment the connection was made. Frustration dripped into him for some reason. Naruto's eyes were different. "You alright Gaara?" he heard the blonde ask and he didn't respond as he tried to figure out what was different.

Naruto's grin slowly faded in a way that told him the blonde was trying to keep something from him. His blue eyes focusing too much on his own. He knew the very moment that Naruto kept a secret. So the blonde _did_ know what was going on and had obviously lied.

"What is it Gaara? Why are you looking at me like that?" Naruto asked in the most concerned tone and he stepped up to the blonde, the thought of finding information popping into his head.

"Are we…friends?" he asked the blonde who instantly seemed confused but gradually grinned again, those eyes sparkling with something sly.

"Yeah…we're friends…don't you remember? Ever since the day we fought those years ago." he examined Naruto, the answer was sincere and truthful enough and Gaara didn't know what he had been expecting.

The redhead parted his lips to speak but was caught off guard when Naruto stepped in closer, his grin coming down to a soft smile. He abruptly stopped in front of the redhead looking past him and into the room. Gaara quickly reached back and shut the door behind him. The boxes of chocolates he had been eating were on the same table as the arrangement of the white rose. He was certain the blonde had just seen them.

"Your cheeks are turning red, Gaara. Do you have a fever?" Naruto asked in a whisper, right next to his ear and Gaara stepped away from the blonde practically flattening himself against the door. He had ignored the blood rushing to his face. "Maybe you have allergies, or something, there are a lot of flowers here." he added as Gaara slipped away from him and walked towards the door. He hadn't seen them then? Well, it didn't matter he wasn't going to explain anything of what was happening to anyone if they all insisted in keeping their knowledge of them knowing to themselves.

He turned to look back at the blonde when he was ready, about to tell him and sister that they should go when he caught those blue eyes wandering the flowers, jumping from bouquet to bouquet with a certain sparkle of knowledge that was unmistakable. So the redhead had not been mistaken, Naruto _was_ looking for something among them and he probably had been _wanting_ to peek inside the room.

The blonde's actions spoke much louder than words.

"You know…tell me." Gaara told him instead, head on, firmly, staring into the blonde's eyes. He saw Temari looking at him with wide eyes. What? He wasn't supposed to ask anyone?

"_What_?" Naruto asked him, that sparkle getting replaced with confusion again. Why couldn't they just admit to everything openly?

"Tell me. Just tell me, Naruto." he demanded.

"Tell you, _what_?" they were getting nowhere with this.

"Who sent all of this to me? I realize that you know." blonde brows came down over blue eyes as if analyzing things with precise and in depth detail.

"I don't know, I told you and Temari-san yesterday, Gaara…I don't know who is doing this…" The blonde's arms motioned around the room in exaggerated sweeps. The reaction was a replica of the one the day before. Gaara came up to the blonde once more, looking deeply into those blue orbs. He saw his sister stand next to the blonde as well.

"You told me…" Temari blurted out at Naruto and the blonde looked away from them both for a moment and chuckled. Gaara glanced at her, shocked with the confession. Told her what now?

"You are _both_ loosing it…" the blonde told them as he escaped their attempt to corner him and walked up to the door. Gaara had half in mind to confine him with his sand but withheld from it. Naruto seemed so honest and sincere it was a wonder how he was able to completely avoid things at the same time. "Let's just go." he said softly with a smile but, it wasn't reducing the tension he and Temari were feeling. He could feel her confusion and she seemed ready to fight if she needed to. This should have encouraged him to back down and follow the blonde but, he couldn't let it go.

"Why is it that you won't simply tell me?" Gaara asked Naruto, resenting that he heard himself sounding like a young child.

"Because I know nothi-"they had already done this.

"You know _everything_…I _know_ you do. You must know. Say one word, a color, a number, a _name_…all I want to know is one thing…_anything_." he told the blonde who only sighed dropped his head and rubbed his hair like it was on fire.

Naruto let the door handle go and walked back up to him, staring hard into his eyes. "I. Don't. Know." he said in a calm tone, though there were hints of frustration here and there.

Gaara could only stare into those unmoving deep blue eyes and he suddenly felt there was something out of place again but, he ignored the feeling. "Let's just go, please. Sakura-chan will get angry at me if we get there late." the blonde told him then walked back to the door and held it open.

Gaara felt frustrated and was about to start up again until he saw Temari tense as if she was going to go after the blonde so he buried his emotions and walked out past the blonde, his sister having no other choice but to follow right behind him in likewise state.

000

Temari glared so hard at the back of the blonde's head it was a miracle he didn't have a hole through his skull the size of an orange. There was complete silence not one of them ushering a single word but, the silence was making her want to beat the hell out of something. She couldn't trust herself to say the right things at the moment either, all her thoughts ran along the lines of insulting the blonde and the last thing they all needed right now was to break out into a battle. Which would happen if she so much got another little lie from the blonde. Amazing that he was avoiding it all. She knew she should have never agreed to any of this. They were going to end up hurting her brother and she was in turn going to end up hurting each and everyone of them.

Looking at her brother's profile she wanted to reassure him in some way and nearly opened her mouth to speak when Naruto broke the silence among them instead.

"I'm sorry." she heard Naruto tell Gaara but, then he fell back to their step and as they walked side-by-side she realized, it was to her as well. A soft smile graced the blonde's face.

"For what?" Gaara asked and she had to admit she wanted to know the answer to that too. There were so many things happening in such a short amount of time.

Temari watched as Naruto's eyes went to the sky for a moment then they looked into her brother's and they all stopped walking for a moment. "I didn't mean for you to get angry or frustrated." he said to her brother and then that blue gaze came at her. His knowing eyes told he was truly sorry and though he spoke no words towards her she knew, she just knew that he couldn't say anything further. She smirked at him and nodded. Their eyes both met her brother's as he spoke.

"There's nothing to forgive." Gaara told Naruto. "I should apologize, not you. I was the one pressuring." he added and the blonde just shook his head.

"No, you are in all your-" Temari didn't let the blonde finish the sentence as she spoke up.

"Yeah, we both did. I apologize as well." Temari told him, shocking the blonde for a moment and then they smiled at each other. They continued to walk and Temari realized she had just agreed to continue helping with the plan though she hadn't said it out loud. She wanted something more for Gaara, wanted him to experience so many things but, just because she was agreeing didn't mean she was going to let any of them have their way. Her eyes would remain on them.

000

"Why did you even rush us?" Temari asked Naruto as they sat at a corner of a strangely large table near the windows. "No one is here yet." she added and glared at said blonde.

"But that's a good thing. I'll be able to accuse them of being late." Naruto, obviously teased but the comment seemed to only displease his sister further.

Gaara ignored both of them as they spoke, his mind set on every ninja he had seen the day before. The ones he didn't know, the ones he kind of knew and then there were the ones he had known for years now. He had seen most of them yes but, he doubted his secret admirer was much younger or older than him so, it meant that the one he was looking for was among Naruto's closest friends….

He hadn't had much interaction with any other ninja their age.

The redhead gazed at the blonde as he looked towards the door again. The names of the ones he had seen coming to him, Rock Lee, Hyuuga Neji, TenTen, Sakura, Sai, Akimichi Chouji, Nara Shikamaru with that lazy look in his eyes, Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino, Hyuuga Hinata and Yamanaka Ino had been the last he had seen the day before. And it had all begun with one…Uzumaki Naruto. Gaara was about to open his mouth and point this out to his sister when he realized they were no longer alone.

"Good morning Kazekage-sama, Temari-san, Naruto." Gaara looked up into onyx eyes, then he met smiling aqua eyes.

"Hey, Sakura-chan, Sai…we got here before you…" Naruto blurted and got instantly glared at. Gaara watched them sit and observed the two discreetly as that feeling of something not being right crept back into him. Just reading their body language they seemed a bit too relaxed for his own comfort. Even when the waitress came around to offer them tea.

"So how has your stay in Konoha been up until now?" Sai asked and he looked at the pale young man.

"Actually…it's been quite, different." he told him.

"Well that would be a way of putting it." Naruto mumbled. "Ouch!" obviously his sister had done something to the blonde underneath the table, perhaps a kick to the knee or some stepping on toes as said blonde reached under to care for whatever had been assaulted.

"What do you mean Naruto?" Sakura asked the blonde who stayed silent and shook his head and then those aqua eyes were on him. "Anything happen?" she asked with knowing eyes and he knew there was no point in denying anything.

"Well-"

"Nothing much." Temari interjected and he continued over her.

"A secret admirer has declared their interest in me." he simply said thinking nothing much of the revelation but, later on he would dwell on the fact that if he hadn't been so revealing then, things would have ended up very differently from what they had been.

Sakura stopped drinking the tea the waitress had brought and Sai stopped reading the menu to attentively stare at him. Shock was too present in both pairs of eyes, not to mention his sister's teal orbs and Naruto's true blue stare.

"Secret admirer…" Sakura stated more than asked.

"Don't tell them a thing, Gaara." Temari told him in a whisper and he didn't follow her advice.

"A secret admirer?" Sai repeated then turned to speak to Sakura. "It is when someone likes you a lot. Sends you letters or secret notes, perhaps gifts, all because they want to capture your attention and make you fall in love with them. They hide behind a false name or no name…only revealing themselves in a special way. I read about this in a book."

"I know what it is Sai, thanks." she told her comrade but her eyes were still focused on Gaara. "Why would you say that Gaara-kun?"

"Letters, flowers among _other_ things." he told her and you couldn't possibly fit more surprise in her eyes if you were asked to.

"Gaara, why are you just talking about it like, well, like _this_?" he heard Temari ask him and he looked at her.

"You will soon see why." he told her and she looked at him confused.

"But do you have an idea of who it is?" Sai asked. "It's must be frustrating to not know. I would not know how to react if it was me. Though I am open to experience such thing."

"Yes. I know who it could be." he answered.

"But, it could be anyone." Sakura told them and Gaara smirked. It was the answer, that without knowing, he needed for his unsought and unasked question.

"Can a heart truly be conquered this way?" Sai asked the pink haired kunoichi.

"I believe it can Sai…" Sakura told the ninja, her eyes were set on Gaara again as if examining him. "…if you truly _love_ the person." she added and Gaara became a bit confused the moment she spoke the words. Between her eyes and her manner of speaking there was something….

"So whom do you _believe_ it could be?" Sai asked him interrupting his thoughts. The ninja smiled sweetly a distant emotion in his black eyes and the redhead was further confused. Gaara was almost certain they were mimicking each other-

They all really did know. They all _knew_ who it was. His eyes went back to Naruto who had fallen silent for the moment.

"I saw the person yesterday." he responded.

"You saw a lot of people yesterday, Gaara." Naruto told the redhead.

"That is true, but…only a few know me well enough…to…do…this." he told the blonde and his sister leaned into him.

"Are they who I think they are?" she demanded in a whisper. He only nodded as he caught movement in his peripheral vision. They were all coming, weren't they? He lowered his eyes and tried to ready himself further as footsteps came closer.

"Why hello guys, what are you doing here?" Gaara knew that voice and didn't need to look up at her to confirm it. He already knew she wasn't alone either. This was the real beginning to it all. It hadn't been the letters, the flowers or the chocolates. It was this very moment when they would all appear before his eyes and he would be forced to look at his secret admirer among them and wonder unable to point him or her out from the group.

"Isn't it obvious? We're here, eating breakfast with Gaara and his sister." Naruto told her, seeming unpleased.

"Hey Ino, Shikamaru, we are about to order." Sakura interrupted the two. "You should join us." she added with a smile that was too warm.

"Maybe they rather sit somewhere else, more private, away from us…" Temari began and got cut off.

"Perhaps, Shikamaru could help us figure this out-" Sai began. He found no need for the pale ninja to convince them. It was _he_ who _needed_ them there for his purpose of discovering the admirer.

"Please sit." Gaara told them both.

"We rather not intrude" Shikamaru began as if noticing the tense situation at the table and not wanting to deal with it. "It would be very bad on our part if we…" he started.

"Decided to deny my request?" Gaara interrupted and looked at him. "Sit." he told him and a smirk came over the brunette's lips. His eyes drifted to Ino's to see them sparkle with some sort of knowledge. But of course they would.

"Thank you, Gaara-sama." Ino told him as Sai moved one seat to let her sit next to Sakura and Shikamaru sat next to Temari.

000

Temari decided that she didn't like where this was going. If Gaara and her were thinking the same thing it meant that the rest of them were going to start showing up '_casually_'. Damn pink haired kunoichi that had convinced her into having this breakfast. She should have denied it.

"_Come to the breakfast…"_ she had said, "…_we should have Gaara enjoy him stay…"_, she had added, "…_the food is really good…" _she had insisted. Yeah, her intentions…well, maybe not really hers, perhaps the admirer's, had been this from the start. This was practically called _'cornering them'_ and _'ambushing her brother'_- she really needed to find the admirer's identity and beat her or him into a pulp.

Five minutes later they were all sipping tea looking at the menu but no one was really ordering. Temari felt caught between two things: glaring at everyone there and glaring at the door ready for whomever was to appear next. She was going to look at each one of their faces and glare.

"This silence is boring." Naruto declared casually as he took another sip from his tea cup and she almost punched him, a vein popping up on her forehead.

"Yeah." Ino added with a light chuckle. "So any of you have any idea who you want to go to the festival with?" she asked with true curiosity and it was truly a wonder how they could all play dumb so easily.

"There's still a week left for that." Shikamaru told her. "How troublesome. You should ask that five days from now."

"Why? Maybe some people plan things ahead of time." she countered, the remark making her sound completely suspicious. She looked the kunoichi over and wondered.

"Now that we're on the subject. Do you want to go with me Sakura? As friends, probably Naruto should come with us as well." Sai asked nicely and Temari wanted to laugh as she caught Naruto's glare at the pale kid.

"What the hell Sai. _Sakura-chan _and _I _could go on our own." the blonde declared and Sakura shook her head.

"I'm not going with you Naruto." Sakura told the blonde kindly. Maybe she was-

"Why?" Naruto's voice sounded full of disappointment and resignation. "Why not Sakura-chan? You don't have a date already do you?" he asked her and she shook her head. Then the strangest thing happened.

Naruto smirked. Very subtly but, it couldn't be mistaken.

Temari didn't have a chance to ask what the smirk was about.

"Perhaps this beautiful blossom awaits for some other youthful ninja to ask her." the sound of the voice had Temari looking around with a bit of confusion. Just where the hell did he come from? She hadn't seen anyone pass through the door and the taijutsu expert wasn't alone either.

Temari glanced at her brother. He was right. She was right, they were just going to keep on coming. One of them had to be her brother's secret admirer, why else would they present themselves this way? They were freaks.

"I was waiting for you, please…sit with us." she heard her brother tell them and though she felt a bit of shock at his openness to the situation, she kind of understood why he would continue without second thoughts. He wanted to know who it was and he, not them, was getting the chance to catch any flaw they could, by mistake, reveal.

"Thank you, Kazekage-sama." okay they didn't even try to put up a protest as the other two had. But then again, who would refuse to sit at the '_coincidently'_ large table with them? Why would they even go against something that was their plan to begin with?

Temari sat quietly observing the nine who sat around her. She observed her brother the most, he confused her…so calm and relaxed as if it were completely normal that he was sitting with someone who wanted to be with him, and whom he didn't have certain knowledge of. He was planning something, she was more than just sure of it, otherwise he wouldn't have been like this.

No one spoke, they all just seemed to stare at each other then at Gaara as they were all served their breakfast, the waitress having taken their orders, _coincidentally_, after the last three had arrived. Did that mean it was only these eight and the rest could be eliminated from the list?

There was nothing readable in their, or her brother's, eyes as he looked at the eight. She watched him smile subtly, but couldn't get why. Could it have been something written with those chocolates he had received? Either that or he smiled because he thought of a way to find out information, there was no other explanation logical enough to make clear her brother's behavior.

000

Gaara observed the ninja in front him, the eight he saw either knew who his secret admirer or was his secret admirer. So it was only the eight of them and not the twelve he had thought of in the beginning. Thinking about it carefully, these eight made more sense than the other four, which he had hardly spent enough time with during these last couple of years. There was less of a possibility of those other four…_wanting_ him? Was that even the correct way of saying it?

'…_I won't tell you who I am yet…'_

_Yes you will._ Gaara thought remembering the words on the letter.

'…_I stood in front of you yesterday, looked into those lovely eyes of yours…' _

_And I am here before you now._ He told them in thought though they would not hear the words.

'…_Did your heart beat as quickly as mine when you saw me? I wonder, and I hope it will today…'_

Well that was a given, his heart _was_ beating at a quickened pace.

"What a lovely smile upon your youthful lips…" Lee broke the silence, grabbing everyone's attention.

Gaara stopped smiling and looked into Lee's perfect, sparkling black eyes. The redhead hadn't realized he was smiling or that the others could see it.

"…do not let it fade. You must be happy to be here with us on this youthful day…" he added with his own smile.

There was something in the way Lee grinned that made Gaara a bit nervous…a bit…_curious_?

"Why wouldn't he be? Right Gaara?" Naruto asked him and Gaara couldn't look at him.

That odd little tingle was returning, creeping its way back to the pit of his stomach and scattering to the rest of his body.

Gaara looked down at his fruit salad wanting to avoid their eyes but, Temari had been right, he wasn't hungry. He couldn't pretend to eat either.

'…_tingle on your tongue and drive you to an exhilaration as your eyes do me…let the sensation take over you as your presence does me…I wonder if you realize just how much you entice me…'_

Those words just kept running through his head.

"Are you…al…alright, G…Gaara-sama?" Hinata asked and he looked at her bright lavender eyes.

"Yes." he told her and she smiled then looked away. A blush settled over her cheeks.

"Then why are you as red as your hair?" Ino asked with a sweet smile to match Hinata's. "You sure about being okay?"

"Yeah…you're not even eating your fruit salad, Gaara…" Naruto added.

"You want something else? I'll call the waitress back." Sakura asked and Gaara took a deep breath.

"I'm not hungry this morning." he simply stated not planning on giving more information.

"How can you not be, friend? The first meal of the youthful day is certainly the most important." Lee declared.

"Yes breakfast is _very_ important. You should try eating even if you're not that hungry." Neji spoke and he could not believe it-

"It's alright, I…" he was about to try dissuading them when the unexpected occurred.

"How could you not be after binging on all those chocolates?" he heard Temari mumble to herself underneath her breath and his heart skipped another beat. He knew they had all heard.

Silence fell over the table and Temari looked at him, her face full of regret, pleading for forgiveness as she obviously realized she had spoken out loud and not in her own mind.

"So you feasted on chocolates for breakfast?" he heard one ask in a chuckle and he glared at the ninja. He hadn't wanted for his admirer to know.

"I eat what I like, Shikamaru." he told him and a smirk was returned as he glared at the brunette.

"Why chocolates?" Sai asked and he glared at him too but, then again, no one was spared from that glare.

"Stop glaring." came the demanding tone from the smartest ninja among them and Gaara actually stopped, to his own amazement. "We never meant for you to get angry Kazekage-sama…" the brunette's eyes were very full of something he couldn't name.

"Yeah, we're sorry…Gaara…" Sakura added, a smile over her lips as if she were wondering why he would eat chocolates and had come up with the right conclusion to the reason.

"You may eat whatever you please…" Neji told him, obviously as a way to calm him but, the frustration was still there, even as they continued to eat and dropped the conversation.

"They were a gift…" he found himself saying after a while. He couldn't take the sounds of plates, eating and sipping.

"That is very nice." Hinata told him. He couldn't close himself up like he usually did. He had learned to voice things. This was his chance to catch his admirer off guard.

"I thought they were delicious and I continued to eat them until I had eaten sixteen and I…would have continued, if I had gotten the opportunity…" he confessed, looked down at his plate for a moment and then at them. He was trying not to blush because surely, his admirer would be proud of such news and seeing his reaction would have made him or her ecstatic. Yet as he observed them, it was useless, they remained the same.

"Wow. _Someone_ gave you chocolates?" Naruto asked him. He was obviously trying to avoid the words _'secret admirer'_.

"They must have been _very_ delicious." Lee told him with a smile that seemed completely delighted.

"Yes…" the redhead stated. Lee always seemed delighted though.

"I would have never believed you to like sweets." Neji added casually truly interested in the news.

"I had never eaten one until today." he told him. The remark could have been simple good manners in the Hyuuga.

"Who gave them t…to you?" Hinata asked as if she really didn't know.

"Someone…_secret_." he responded reluctantly, trying to force a reaction out from anyone. Hinata only blushed and looked back down at her plate…but, she did things like that often.

"Was it the one who sent you all those flowers?" Naruto asked and Ino squealed with joy. The way he asked making it seem like he too wanted something more out of the conversation.

"Someone _secret_? _Flowers_?" she asked Naruto, who then smirked. "What the hell did _we_ miss?"

"Lots and lots and lots of them-" Naruto started but, was stopped by Temari's growl.

"You brat!" she nearly yelled at the blonde.

"_Someone_ _secret_ with _chocolates_ and _flowers_? My youthful friend, please prey tell." Lee told Gaara with a smile as bright as the sun and eyes that shone with the brilliance of stars.

"Flowers are good…so are chocolates, correct?" the pale ninja asked one blonde.

"Of course they are, Sai…" the blonde kunoichi began. "…but I wonder what types he got?"

"Stop talking Yamanaka!" Temari told her.

"Flowers are…s…so…roman…t…tic…" the blue haired one began.

"Control your stuttering cousin Hyuuga!" she then told Neji.

Gaara could see that Temari was loosing it. It was obvious she did not like where things were going. He had to do something and quick before she got angry with all of them.

"Okay then…" Shikamaru interrupted with suave finesse. "All of you just stop this right now. Stop feasting on gossip and just eat. What a drag people…we are ninja not some-"

"It's fine Nara. I know who it is anyway." Gaara interjected, taking over all of their attention.

"Who is it Gaara?" Naruto asked. "Who is your secret admirer?" he continued apparently forgetting his own choice of not saying those words.

"Secret?" Lee asked.

"Admirer?" Neji added.

"So you say you know who it is?" Sakura asked with a bright smile and then they all fell silent once more. None, except for her, looked him in the eyes for a few seconds.

Shikamaru chuckled, breaking the silence.

"What do you know?" Sai asked the brunette.

Gaara said nothing as he waited for the genius to speak.

"Don't any of you see it?" Shikamaru asked them. "He was so kind to invite us all to the table…is it even possible for this to be more troublesome than what it already is?"

"Perhaps, it's the other way around…_you_ were all too kind to invite me." he told them and some looked further confused. They were really good at pretending.

"What are you actually saying? Is it what I think it is?" Ino asked them both as the rest sat silently for what seemed like an eternity.

"What the hell is going on? Why do you all keep staring at each other like that anyway?" Naruto asked. Either he was an excellent actor or he truly didn't know.

"I understand what Shikamaru is trying to say…" Neji began.

"As do I." Sakura added.

"I believe I understand as well." Sai finished. "It would only make sense if this was the situation."

"You think one of _us_ is _your_ secret admirer. Don't you, Gaara?" Shikamaru asked. Gaara only stared at him.

"I don't think." he finally told him after a minute or so. "I know." it was impossible for them all to be more quiet than what they were then.

Ino smiled and sighed and his eyes followed her.

"One of us?" she asked him and he nodded.

"Impossible." Sai and Hinata said at the same time.

"Quite possible." Shikamaru corrected them both.

"You can't think it's me, Gaara." he heard Naruto say, words that opened up another question in his mind.

"Why not?" Gaara found himself asking the blonde.

"We're friends." the blonde told him simply.

"You and your '_love_' for Sakura could be fake." Shikamaru told the blonde who glared back. It was the little provocation needed to start a war.

"You're the one with the mental capabilities to think up such a thing." Naruto told the brunette.

"But he's too lazy…" Ino began and Naruto looked at her.

"Then it's you, Shika helps you of course but, its you. Your family does have that flower shop…"

"I like someone else, Naruto, we _all_ know that…"

"And we all know he doesn't like you that way…" Sakura interrupted.

"Shut up Sakura! Maybe it's you. You fear rejection so much that you can only get close to him secretly…"

"Is that the truth Sakura-san?" Lee asked and she rolled her eyes.

"No, Lee."

"You like Gaara, Sakura?" Naruto asked and she sighed.

"Of course not, Naruto."

"This is ridiculous…" Neji broke in.

"Is it Neji? _Is it?_ Maybe its you." Naruto told him, pointing a finger at him.

"What? Neji-nii-san!?"

"It's not I, Hinata-sama don't worry. I'd rather believe it was Naruto or…_Lee_…" he reassured his cousin then sadly looked over at his teammate.

"What? How can you say such thing about me Neji-kun?"

"Y-you c-could be." Hinata accused the green lover.

"Yeah, you did develop a rather quick friendship…" Ino added with something implied Gaara didn't quite pick up on.

"Quiet Yamanaka! You know me not. And in any case I would believe it to be you…Hyuuga Hinata." Lee almost but yelled at the kunoichi.

"M-m-m-me?" she asked blushing furiously. "I…I…li…like-"

"I'd believe that too, she is so shy…" Shikamaru finally said something…

"Well then it is settled. It's Hinata." Sai declared.

"It's you Sai!" Hinata yelled back at the ninja, pointing her finger at him.

"I have never-" Sai began and that was it.

"STOP." Gaara spoke out loud interrupting them. He was tired of seeing them throw accusations back and forth like a rag doll.

"None of you are hurting my little brother this way…" Temari said and Gaara knew she held back the why's, not wanting to expose his already traumatizing past. "This isn't what I agreed to; all of you pointing fingers at each other like none of you want him. What the hell is this? Was I wrong to want to believe that who ever cares for my brother, does so truly?" she asked the eight ninja before her, her fists shaking with anger.

"Sit Temari." Gaara told her and she sat, after a moment of glaring.

"Whatever any of you say now is but words used to confuse me. One of you is the one; the one who sent me flowers. Sent me chocolates. Left me words I know would be considered…lovely-" was _lovely _the correct word? "I know one of you is _her_…or _him_…and I want you to know that I can wait but, do not dare to toy with me." he told them in warning as he stood out of his chair. "I want you to tell me now so that I can figure out what I'm feeling but, I'll wait." he said pushing his chair in.

Temari and the other eight stood from their chairs as well but, he stopped them.

"I want to be alone." he told them.

"Forgive us?" Lee asked more than stated and Gaara didn't bother to look back at the table. He nodded and walked away. He only wanted to be alone with his own thoughts. Outside he let his sand carry him away.

* * *

**A/N**

**Sorry for the wait, the holidays here are the longest in the world and all those parties left me fatter (damn food is sooooo delicious) and really lazy, especially because I was tired from going to sleep after three am. Hope you all liked this chapter and I really hope you review. **

**I'm working on something special I won't mention yet but might be in the interest of a couple of you. ****J**


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N - I've taken too long to post this up, hopefully I can post more soon. Please review, don't you know that is motivation for a writer?**

* * *

**You're The One That I Want**

_**4**_

* * *

Gaara lay on his bed staring up at the moon, he had spent the day hours walking around the village. It had given him time to think of his emotions and of everything said at the restaurant before he left. The way he reacted to some things that were said.

Reaching the Inn in the late afternoon he had done practically nothing but sit on his bed re-reading all the notes and letters, trying to search for a clue that would lead him in one direction but, there were none. Those ninja were hiding their emotions so well, pretending not to know anything. How would he ever figure it out? If all of them kept playing along like they did not know a single thing, how was anyone supposed to find the right one among them?

A soft rasp on his door brought him out of his thoughts.

"Gaara, can we talk?" he heard Temari ask form the other side. It was about time she did something. He knew she had been standing there an hour, he could feel her emotions, could hear her foot lightly tapping the floor. Why she hadn't presented herself before was a mystery, perhaps she had been thinking of ways to ask him questions without confusing him further. Perhaps she had wanted to give him space, perhaps she had been waiting for him to be the one to call her out.

He said nothing, just stared at the stars as she opened the door, letting herself into the room, her eyes trained on him.

"Are you well?" she began, worry present in her voice. "H-how do you f-feel?" she continued her tone unsure and he glanced at her then continued to observed the stars.

"Frustrated, angry…_confused_…" he began and sighed. "…nervous, nauseous, _curious_…_wishful_?" he said and looked at her. An unasked question was in her eyes, he could see it as clear as day. He knew the answer she wanted to hear. "I think of someone that I can't help but wonder of…. Could it be him or her. Then I am curious of someone else, curious of how they look at me. I want to know the reasons why. Lastly, I realize that deep inside, I wish for it to be someone apart from those two that might not be the one that _is_ in the end…I try to imagine that but…I don't know what to think of it." he told her and she didn't utter a single word. Her face showed no reaction either.

"I want to react…I want to do or say something, but I cannot. I do not know what I _should_ do." he added not understanding her silence. "Too many questions roam my mind, Temari. What if I cannot correspond to this person? What if I cannot develop the '_love_' I should feel in the end? What if I hope for the wrong person and they end up hating me…or it causes me to despise them? What then ,Temari? Isn't this a risk? To do this with me, isn't it a risk? A possible waist of time and emotions that may not find correspondence in the end?"

"What?" his sister asked and Gaara felt her sit down next to him on the bed as he looked back at the moon. "Today? It was just to confuse the both of us, Gaara. They were all grieved to have done that to you. You should have seen their faces after you left. One-by-one they started apologizing." she told him with a chuckle as if reminiscing on something entertaining. "The way they looked made me realize the first reason why I agreed to this. The person really does care for you."

"Really?" he asked her with a sigh.

"Yes. Gaara, this person will never hate you, she or he likes you, no matter what…they only want your happiness. I think this person might even love you. You won't hate the person either, you'll see. You're not the same as how you used to be. And it's not a waist of time or emotions, not if you can create deeper bonds…not if you can learn _love_…listen to your heart, just let it guide you." she said in the kindest tone he had ever heard her use.

Gaara let the words enter his mind and heart in the silence that followed and was glad it was Temari who had accompanied him to Konoha. He doubted Kankurou would have been able to reassure him this way, when his mind was leaning towards the negative side of things. He could just imagine his brother arguing with everyone, picking everything up and leaving.

A merry little chuckle escaped his sister's lips and he looked at her with a raised brow. She grinned at him. "So…do I get a chocolate now?" she asked and it lifted the heavy mood.

Gaara stared at her for a second before he stood and went to the four small boxes on the corner table. Opening the red box he took out a chocolate with its little paper cup and handed it to her.

"Just this one. The rest are mine." he told her with such ease that her laugh caught him off guard. She only nodded and stood, walking towards the door.

"Goodnight Gaara." she told him eating the chocolate along the way.

He watched her until she closed the door then he went back to his bed. With his eyes focusing back on the moon, other questions, unanswered ones, were still very present in his mind. Gaara laid there, starring up at the night sky for what seemed like an eternity. He didn't want to fall asleep this night. He doubted he could even find it with everything that was going through his mind. It happened more than often, when he would observe the night sky instead of sleep. His thoughts floating up to the sky where he wondered alone with the moon as his sole companion, willing to stay with him during the dark hours when most others succumbed to sleep, trying to keep at bay the events of the day.

000

_Soft lips caressed and then kissed his cheek. _

_There was a soft caress he knew, it was so warm and familiar…._

_Something ran over his lips and then there was a whisper in his ear and he turned to the sound of the voice wanting to know who it belonged to…._

_Was it real? Was it a dream?_

_Another caress calmed him, soft and delicate…_

"_Be mine."_

Gaara woke up abruptly. His first intention was to open his eyes and look around, but feeling a weight on the bed he remained as he was for a moment. He expected movement, to hear another's breathing…there was nothing and he cautiously opened his eyes and looked straight into shiny black orbs. He tensed and slowly pulled away as he got off the bed to stand.

He stared. For a while it was all he could do, stare.

Movement outside his window was the only thing to break the connection between what sat on his bed and him. The sky was dark still, stars shinning for the last hour or so of the night before the sun kept them hidden from view. Only ninja patrolling the village were to be found.

His eyes met once again with _it_, its deep red bow around its fury white neck. An envelope was attached to it.

His stomach danced, well at least that was what it felt like. His chest felt lightly constricted as his heart beat a bit faster. Taking in a deep breath, his lungs were filled with the scent of chocolate and mint. It was so subtle, as if it had been a passing fragrance in the room. He was certain from where it emanated and he followed it back to the bed, walking up to it, reaching out he grabbed the envelope attached to the bow. Taking out the paper inside he read it, trying to avoid those piercing black orbs.

_**Good morning my lovely Gaara,**_

_**Are you well this morning?**_

_**Is your heart calmed? **_

_**Have I hurt you?**_

The first sentences he read and then he felt he needed to sit. It was not because he was overwhelmed or surprised or anything that ran along those lines. It was because as he saw the that familiar handwriting and read those words, he realized he was indeed slightly angry still from what had occurred the day before. He needed to fight off the sudden urge to rip the letter to shreds or feed it to his sand. Sitting would slow him down a bit. Avoiding the bed until he was comfortable with whatever was on it, he kneeled on the floor instead in front of it.

_**We went too far yesterday, having expected you to confront us, wanting you to, we feel all we accomplished was to hurt you. I went too far, I have hurt you. Confused you. Forgive them, not all were fond of that idea, it is all my fault, not theirs. Punish me, place all blame and fault and ignorance on me, not them. **_

_**I understand if you wish to read no more and burn this letter. Do it now, if you do not forgive me, get rid of it all…**_

The redhead ran his fingers over the words he had read. He looked at them, read them again, then he glanced at the thing sitting in front of him, on the bed.

…_**You can burn him too…**_

With that sentence, the unexpected happened.

A little smile graced Gaara's lips. He could sense so much sadness in those words. He could even add that even the way the letters curved, they seemed entirely sad. Melancholic. He continued to stare at the big, white teddy bear staring at him with those sad black orbs.

Fine. He couldn't burn the thing.

He would forgive them all. He would forgive him or her.

…_**well then…**_

…_**If you are reading this, you must have found forgiveness in your heart…perhaps I don't deserve it but, I wish you could see my smile…**_

He wished he could. He really did. Placing a face to it would have been better than anything else.

_**You have us in your sight, don't you?**_

_**I hope you do not think of **_**one**_** of us in specific as your admirer and imagine that whomever it is, is the one you want because I might just surprise you. **_

_**Where to begin now?**_

_**Your smile? **_

_**That faint blush on your cheeks?**_

_**The frustration in your brow was lovely indeed.**_

_**Looking into my eyes yesterday, you burned me. My heart beat erratically. I wanted to stand from my chair and tell you that it was me. But, I kept telling myself 'not yet' throughout the entire time. I want it to be special.**_

_**I want to **_**show**_** you.**_

_**I've tried to figure out when these emotions began in me, I don't think I can clarify when though but, I can not stop thinking of you now. I know I wouldn't want to either.**_

_**I cannot wait, there's only six more days when you'll look into my eyes, knowing it to be me. Do you feel what I do when your eyes meet mine? Do you **_**feel**_** for me?**_

_**I wonder.**_

_**Only a couple of more days Gaara…just a few more. I'll wait. Will you wait with me?**_

_**P.S.**_

_**Did you like the chocolates? I know you did, there's a box on the nightstand. **_

_**I send you a kiss.**_

Gaara read the letter a second time out of habit then his eyes looked over his shoulder at the small box on the nightstand he had not noticed before. It was bizarre, having only about a quarter size of the others he had gotten. It had all the other four colors in swirls that looked like they moved on their own. It couldn't be. Reaching over he grabbed it and undid the deep red bow, opening it on the edge of the bed.

…_**You're in love with these so I see…hopefully you'll fall in love with me…**_

The little card on the bow read.

Glancing inside, he saw the four chocolates, one of each he had lavished upon the day before. He closed the small box before he got the urge to eat them as well. He still had one of each left in the big boxes having devoured the rest in the afternoon.

Gaara looked at it all and placed the card with the letter back in the envelope in which it came. He placed them underneath the pillow, where the others where and stood. Leaving the stuffed animal where it was, he laid back down and watched the sky at the horizon, right past a building that was in front. It was only after a while did he reach out to his gift and ran his fingers in its fake fur. It really did smell like mint, the fur so soft and thick. He brought it closer to him and dove his nose in, inhaling deeply, there was another scent there.

An odd emotion crept its way into his stomach. He felt content. He felt calm.

His eyes drifted around to the moving figures he knew to be ninja patrolling again. He watched them move from rooftop to rooftop in the distance as he hugged the white bear. It was a shadow that caught his attention then and held it, his stare not leaving the spot. Hidden behind more shadows it didn't move. He could sense something there observing him. It being two buildings away. he sat up and stared in its direction intently. There was something wrong there. He could sense it.

A cloaked figure stepped out of the shadow, without needed confirmation he knew who it was and he found himself placing a hand over the cool glass of the window, his heart giving a hard thud as if it punched one of his lungs. The cloaked figure rose a gloved hand and waved before it vanished. Gaara's stomach churned and he let himself fall back on the bed, his hand over his heart. His secret admirer had watched him. The entire time.

000

Temari walked out of her room with the thought of the day before and its events very present and fresh in her mind. After her brother had left the restaurant , she had really wanted to kick everyone's asses. She still did. She would be damned if she allowed anything to happen to her brother and she was really hoping his emotions hadn't been affected by all of the stupid-

Temari stood unmoving as her eyes fell over the scene in the main room.

The only way to describe her state was…_bewildered_.

Her youngest brother sat, fully dressed, on the floor in front of the center table. His elbow on it, his head leaning into his hand as he stared into a bouquet of red roses, his fingers delicately trailing over the petals of one.

"Gaara?" she asked with caution, shock and disbelief mixed up in her voice. Crap, this situation was affecting her as well. Her voice had always been firm and steady.

"Why are _red_ roses romantic?" he asked and she couldn't understand the question or the why of it. "White ones are so _beautiful_. Lovely how they can remain _pure_. Then these small one, amazing they can be so small but fill up spaces that compliment the larger ones." he added motioning to the little tiny ones that filled in the gaps.

"The color perhaps? _Red_ is considered the color of _love_." she told him not really knowing what else she could say. Her voice reaching a normal tone.

"Red is the color of _blood_." he murmured to himself, yet she heard him. She smirked, he was still himself. Thankfully. "My admirer was watching me this morning. They left me a letter asking for forgiveness and a white stuffed bear-"

"Is it a girl?" she found herself asking before anything else as she cut him off. If she was, things would become easier as they would narrow down the list considerably.

"I couldn't tell. He or she was cloaked. Hands gloved…and disappeared too quickly-" damn it. How were they ever going to figure this out before the days were up?

"You could have followed." she interrupted him again and he slightly glared. "Don't you want to know who it is?" she asked glaring right back.

"Of course I do, Temari." he told her sternly. "But if my admirer wants me to wait until this one special day for us to meet face-to-face then, _I'll wait_." he said and she watched him stand. "Let's go." he added walking towards the door in his usual monotone.

He had silenced her. When he got like this there was no way to go against him. And she knew it had to be because of whatever was in the letter, damn-

She was wrong about it all, her little brother _was_ changing…

000

Gaara couldn't help but stare at his sister, confused, as she led him towards the restaurant they had been, with the eight, the day before. He didn't reveal any emotion to her, not even when they were seated at the large table, meant for ten and the same waitress from the previous day brought them a complimentary calming tea. He half expected her to offer an explanation but she said nothing, didn't even look him in the eyes. He could swear something was bothering her as well.

"Good m-morning Temari-san." the redhead heard Hinata's shy voice and hardly glanced at her.

"Good morning Hyuuga. Rock Lee. Sai. Ino." Temari greeted them in a rather annoyed tone and they sat where they had the day before.

"Good morning, Kazekage-sama." Neji was the one to speak up, the tone and the silence from the others telling him it was in behalf of them as well. Gaara set his eyes upon them and not one dared to meet his eyes. They were all lost in some sort of deep sadness.

Gaara wished he could tell them something but, while trying to arrange words in his head a coarse, distressed voice cut through his thoughts.

"Good morning everyone, Temari-chan…Gaara." Naruto said as he sat right next to him.

"Yeah, good morning everyone." Sakura added as she sat next to the blonde and Shikamaru said nothing as he sat where he had the day before, next to Temari.

Silence overflowed in the space they occupied and Gaara was growing impatient with it after a couple of minutes passed.

"What do you all have to say?" Temari asked and he looked at her. She was glaring, a napkin in her hands, which she twisted, straining her fingers with it, her knuckles paling though her face seemed calm enough.

"We are all so…" Shikamaru began, capturing his attention. A pair of eyes finally meeting his. "With all the respect you deserve as an individual, we apologize for what we have done. To have confused you with all our…_circles_ and immatureness. We weren't thinking yesterday-"

"Stop." he told the ninja, who appeared shocked for a brief moment.

Gaara gazed into every pair of eyes as they met his. Gloomy eyes found him every time, to the very last one. He wanted to chose one and found he couldn't. Sai was the last one he lingered on, the easiest really.

"He's only trying to say that we are more than just sorry-" he began but, Gaara stopped him too.

"And I am trying to say that it's not necessary." he told them. "I kept and read the letter this morning. You saw me, it means I forgive you and the rest as well."

There was a collective happiness that if he had not witnessed, he would have never believed. Their eyes were filled with hope once again, it was like nothing else needed to be said. They enjoyed breakfast together, all ten of them at the large table. No one questioned him and he didn't do much, but observe them throughout their eating and their conversations. He found himself enjoying listening to them talk about everyday things.

It was only after a while that a pair of aqua eyes found his. The gaze telling him something was off.

"We must go." Sakura told him with an incomprehensible longing in her voice. "Naruto, Sai, Shikamaru and I must go out on a mission today. We should be back late tomorrow." she explained, looking at her tea, then into his eyes once more.

"Tomorrow?" he found himself asking her, his eyes then seeking the blonde next to him, who nodded.

"We'll be back, don't worry." Naruto told him, trying to sound reassuring but it wasn't necessary. Them leaving didn't worry him. On the contrary it could give him the chance to narrow down the list.

"Kazekage-sama?" he heard Ino ask as they all stood to leave and he looked at her. "What do you have planned for this day?" she asked and he glanced towards Temari. He had never thought of planning anything at all, for any day he was to be in the village.

"Nothing." he told her. She sighed and a smile graced her lips.

"Then, accompany us." Neji told him and he watched Lee grin.

"That is the perfect youthful thing to do. Will you, Gaara-kun?" the male asked and Gaara was denied the chance to utter a word.

"And Temari-san could come with us…right Hinata?" Ino added looking at the older blonde and Gaara followed her gaze to his sister. The light that shown in her eyes told him she saw the one in his own eyes as well and they were on the same page. This was their chance.

"Fine." they both said in unison, wanting to have thought it over when four mischievous smiles uncovered themselves right in front of their eyes.

000

Gaara sat quietly under a tree observing Lee and Neji spar. Their taijutsu was different one from the other, but similar in a way that told you they were teammates. They knew each other's movements to the blink of an eye. The redhead had to admit that the walk towards the practice field had served him in the realization of many things that now frustrated him more than it should.

Rock Lee loved and craved and radiated positive-ness, if it that was even possible. He saw life in all and loved life and thought all to have undiscovered passion that if tapped could unleash the greatest power. All could be wonderful even within its ugliness, within its weakness.

For a brief moment Gaara believed himself to be in presence of his admirer, then he saw the Hyuuga-

Hyuuga Neji was nothing like he had once been, he was respectful of life and others. Offered a helping hand, if it was necessary, loved beauty, cherished purity. Kind in a way, mysterious in another.

Pulling out from his thoughts of Lee, he'd been seduced into the thought of it being Neji, but then it switched again. One would demand attention, then the other would stare and utter kind words, then there would be a hopeful grin, followed by knowing eyes and Gaara had no other choice, but render himself confused.

It explained his current state of frustration.

"We haven't angered you, have we?" the Hyuuga asked and his eyes met pale silver-lavender eyes. Had they stopped their training to come up to him?

"No." he answered and watched as they sat at either side of him. He wasn't fond of the idea. They were too close.

"Neji-kun won-" Lee spoke and Gaara glanced in his direction. He was close indeed, his dark eyes sparkling with that hidden knowledge they all had and he couldn't help but wonder as a small smile graced the ninja's lips. He stared at those lips…

"It was a tie." the Hyuuga proclaimed, his eyes looking at the other ninja. A smirk graced the Hyuuga's lips as he looked up into the sky.

"You confuse me." Gaara whispered, refusing to look at either one. He hoped his sister was having better luck in her own quest.

"Why is that so confusing? Lee just kicked me at the same time I kicked him, didn't you see?" the Hyuuga tried to explain and Gaara stood and looked down at both of them, trying not to glare, but the way they both were looking at him, the way they kept trying to seek his eyes. He felt like he was about to loose all reason.

"I know what I said, but you two." he began looking them in the eyes. "I _want_ to wait, but how can-" he continued and was instantly cut-off as both ninja stood at either side of him.

Before he could blink, a fingertip was at his lips and an arm came around his shoulders, holding him in place. He couldn't move away. They captured him.

"Let's not talk about that." Neji whispered near his ear, softly removing his finger from his lips. Gaara just stared ahead as the ninja's warm breath fell over his skin.

"Keep waiting Gaara." Lee whispered into his other ear, his arm slowly dropping from his shoulders and Gaara pulled away from them both, as soon as he could, and leaned his back against the tree's trunk as he stared at them.

Their eyes were so full of something he couldn't, or _wouldn't_ want to name. His stomach churned, filling up with a burn and twisting up in such a way, it was a wonder how he wasn't throwing up his breakfast. They had touched him so easily. Without any type of restraint. Would the others do the same?

Gaara's eyes escaped theirs and he stared at the ground, to the earth beneath his feet.

"Sit and watch us fight once more." Lee told him and he said nothing as he sat back on the ground.

Neither seemed bothered that he had pulled away, nor that he chose to say no more words. They really puzzled him. He wasn't sure he could keep up with a couple more days of this. Gaara really hoped Temari had some good news, that she wasn't feeling as he was. Lost.

000

Temari was sitting down in a state of total tranquility and stillness. Ever calm, serene, peaceful-

Damn it!

Maybe not, her eye was twitching, it had to be. These two kunoichi were going to drive her insane. She could swear they were doing it on purpose too. Damn it, everything had started out so well, moving along so wonderfully…she had hoped her time with them would be put to good use.

Yeah, she had been wrong, it had all backfired.

Hyuuga Hinata had been the first. The girl was cute, lovely, kind and shy, but very hard-working and had this sort of hidden strength and force that anyone could admire.

Yamanaka Ino had been the second. This girl was nice, sweet but spicy with a touch of annoying and a pinch of arrogance that gave her a unique character that bordered on fan-girl. Very straight-forward, but with a hidden reserve that accompanied her subtle kindness.

They _both_ confused the living hell out of her.

Hinata had been her first suspect, the way she spoke and the things she liked, she was practically obsessed with sweets. Then she had suspected Ino, with her daring attitude and her almost constant double meanings, the pale blonde had nearly convinced her with just a few gestures and words.

"So, what do you think Temari-san?" she heard the blonde ask her and Temari was forced out of her thoughts.

"What do I think about what?" she asked back, glaring at both girls.

She was permitted to glare even if Gaara couldn't, right? And if Gaara got a letter telling him about how much she had glared, she would know that the secret admirer was one of these two. So her glaring was actually a benefit for them, how nice.

"We walk you to the Inn?" Ino asked and she grinned up at the fair blonde.

Finally. She would finally leave the two kunoichi. She couldn't be happier.

The whole morning had been an odyssey. First at the flower shop, then some walking around on errands and after lunch they had gone to the hot springs and the spa. She couldn't really complain about that last one, but she still needed a break from them _now_.

Temari wasn't used to the super girly things they did. Sure she took care of her skin, hair and nails, but what these Konoha girls did was overboard. Damn, it had been more than evident that she had no sisters or female friends.

"Let's go then." she rushed them without second thought, desperate to get away from them and back to the inn to know what Gaara had discovered-

If, of course, he had not been confused as hell as well.

000

"Nothing." Gaara responded as he sat eating the last of his chocolates.

"What?" Temari asked him, frustration clearly written over her face as she threw herself back unto the bed. His sister had never done that, especially not on his bed. He had never thought he would find it funny in away either. He watched her cover her face and groan and he just had to chuckle silently at the scene.

"At first I thought it to be Lee, but then Neji kept drawing my attention. Did you manage to gather clues?" he asked her and she only groaned louder.

"No." she told him as she sat up. "They were the same…I hate this." she added standing up and heading towards the door. She seemed more frustrated than him. "I'm going to sleep…goodnight." she told him and he nodded watching her go.

Gaara smirked. His secret admirer truly went to great lengths to keep him or herself hidden. The person truly had great friends as well, friends that Gaara hoped would become his as well.

Gaara walked to the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth, then he walked back into the room to turn the lights off and lay on the bed. He was not falling asleep, he would wait for the person tonight…no matter what, he would wait….

It was the only thing he could do…wait for a shadow to look at him with longing, so that he could smirk at it.


	6. Chapter 5

******A/N - Yay! I wanted to post another chapter up and am glad I managed to finish going through this one. Be patient with me as I often take too long to post, my life is too messed up. Please review, don't you know that is motivation for a writer?**

* * *

**You're The One That I Want**

_**5**_

* * *

Gaara looked over the vast sky and found himself sighing.

Nothing. There had been nothing during the entire night, not even the slightest of movements. He had gone as far as leaving the window open all through the night too.

The sky brightened up and he finished dressing, stepping out into the main room and sitting down in front of his flowers. There was nothing. There had been nothing!

And he felt…well he-

He felt incomprehensively frustrated. FRUSTRATED.

Frustrated that his secret admirer had not come, had not left even the smallest of notes. Frustrated that there had been no movement outside his window. And that, well, he still could not choose just _one_ from the eight simply because, Neji, Lee, Ino and Hinata had all left late at night on their own missions. They had been kind enough to send him a note before they left. For that they did leave notes, but his admirer couldn't leave a thing. Had he or she not stated they would '_woo'_ him each day?

In fact, now if he or she tried, it really wouldn't matter. They were all gone. In other words, during this nice, brilliant, peaceful, picturesque morning, he was unable to single anyone out…none of them were there and it was more than obvious it was all planned. It had to be. One left and they all left to not raise suspicions.

Gaara let out a deep breath he was holding in and rubbed his temples. He felt alone in all of this, though Temari _was_ there…and though that wasn't really what was bothering him…he knew he just wanted something more, he had expected more. For some odd reason, he just knew he _needed_ something more…he just didn't know what it was yet.

He did desire the ability to isolate _one_ person, but he couldn't even accomplish that because he had no specific clues that could lead him down a certain path and no one was going to give into his questions easily. He had seen it clearly.

Still, if he _could_ choose…if he _had_ to choose…no…if he _wanted_ to choose, who _would_ he choose? Who would he want it to be?

And that was what he wanted, wasn't it? To think of only one to choose, think of a connection and tie loose ends together-

That one person, he had thought of before, came back into his mind, though it wasn't confirmed in any way. Though he had no certainty…yet the person was there, looking at him, smiling sweetly with a taunting stare, mouthing the words _'You're the one I've always wanted' _and Gaara would fall for the person if he didn't know any better. He _could_ fall for that person.

The person was there, in his mind, yes, saying what he would like to hear, but-

What if it turned out to be that it was someone else?

Gaara's belly churned at the thought and he rubbed his temples harder.

If is wasn't that person in his mind, then these thoughts just now were going to be in vain. And any future thoughts of this one person would be as well, so he had to keep his head cleared from choosing one and his eyes open for clues, even if it meant he would continue to long and desire for the right words from the right person. He didn't want to hurt anyone, so he could not let himself develop emotions for just one in specific, especially when he wasn't sure what those emotions should be.

_I hope you do not think of one of us in specific as your admirer and imagine that whomever it is, is the one you want because I might just surprise you. _

Gaara remembered those words well, he somewhat hated them…but, they were the perfect words to tell him. To remind him that it didn't have to be that one person he kept thinking of and had to avoid giving too much thought to from now on.

000

Temari stepped out of her room. She had slept horribly the night before and was more than just restless and on the edge. She could swear that the secret admirer thing was worse than any mission she had ever gotten. It gave her more stress than spending a day at the Kazegake's office and made her more antsy than having to teach at their academy.

It could be understood though. It was her brother the one who had the most to loose. And even though this all could be a very good thing in the long run, something deep inside could only warn her of how dangerous it could all get if it wasn't controlled. She knew that if all went wrong, he would get worse. Gaara could loose all he had gained in recent years. He would probably lock up all his emotions again and give himself to working and nothing more. He would never give himself another chance at love. She could feel it deep inside.

Temari didn't want that for him. She wanted him to find a bigger happiness, with someone else, no matter who it was, as long as it was true love. The important word in the mix being 'true'. She wanted his happiness above all.

"Good morning, Gaara." she said and lost her trail of thought as she fell into the sense of déjà vu. Gaara was sitting in front of the table in the main room, his arm on the table, head on his hand, starring at the flower arrangements. It was only then she noticed that she was running her hands over her skirt, again. Just like the day before, that was completely messed-

"I got nothing today." she heard him say and she let out the breath she was holding deep in her lungs. She couldn't handle going through another day like what had been the day before. So she could only be happy when he spoke and pronounced different words from his lips.

"What?" she asked then, picking up on what her brother said. Did she hear correctly? "What do you mean?" she asked sitting down next to him, there was no way she heard what she thought she'd heard. She observed his profile attentively, looking for any little gesture that could tell her otherwise. His face was blank, unmoving as if he were made of ivory or porcelain and unable to come to life.

"There's nothing new today, Temari. It is more than odd to me that I _want_ there to be something. Anything would have been fine for me, any little thing, but there was nothing." Temari just stared at his profile and something moved in her, something deep and profound she had not felt in years.

She wanted to cry. Her baby brother was going to make her cry. To hear him say that he wanted something more, to know that he was actually opening up to new things…deep and confusing ones, but opening himself nonetheless….

She wanted to cry and laugh and smile, but could only feel fear because if all of this went wrong, he would sink deeper than what he had been before. It would be in a different place, a different tone, a different emotion even, yet she knew he would still sink. Though she couldn't predict how deep.

"They're all on missions, how can she or he?" she told him trying to spark up some hope in him. She needed to keep him believing, needed him to stay in this state of childish happiness. His eyes met hers and she smiled at him with all the hope and support she could gather up and show through her eyes. His eyes were filled with relief after a moment. Calm and relief.

"Perhaps he or she would appear later with something for having left me un-_wooed_ this morning." he whispered and she raised an eyebrow and chuckled to herself. "What? Do I sound childish?" Gaara asked her and she shook her head and sighed, his relief made her calm, and his optimism made her smile.

"No, you don't sound a bit like a child and something else makes me smile." she told him and he waited for an explanation to what she meant, his face blank, but his eyes filled with curiosity. "I always say 'she' first…but you like to say 'he'." she told him wanting to change the subject and he raised a nonexistent eyebrow.

"I…never noticed." he answered truthfully and she could swear his cheeks turned pink, but she wasn't sure because he looked away too soon. She wanted to ask him why he chose one gender over the other, but decided not to. It wouldn't be a good idea to do so.

"Let's go." she told him instead as she stood. There would be other times to ask and get deeper into those things and of course, only if and when he wanted to respond to her questions.

000

"What will you do today?" Gaara asked as his sister as they finished eating breakfast at the same restaurant. They were going to eat there everyday until they left, it was obvious that the personnel knew what was going on, and if they knew, it was because they knew who the secret admirer was and sooner or later one of them would make a mistake and both Temari and he would be there ready and paying very close attention.

The big table had been parted today, unlike every other day. So, he knew he was right when he had seen it. They knew…yes, they _all _knew and all they needed was one little slip and they would know too. He would know and there would be no more doubts and guesses and trying to not focus on that one.

"The Hokage's assistant, Shizune-san, well she asked to meet with me. Something about wanting to know about Suna's water source and suppliers…or something like that. I really didn't understand Hinata well enough when she told me yesterday...I bet it's just to keep me occupied…" Temari trailed off and Gaara observed her. She seemed lost, deep in thought and Gaara knew why. If he was Kazekage and was in the village, why call _her_ up when they could have just asked him?

"Why didn't Hokage call on me? I _am_ the Kazekage." he asked her, seeing her concentration deepen.

"I. Don't. Know." she responded obviously realizing how strange it all was too. It was obvious this was also part of some sort of- "What will _you_ do?" she asked interrupting his thoughts and there was silence as he took in her question.

"There's _nothing_ for me to do in this village." he told her and she smirked.

"You'll find something. Just walk around until something comes along-" she responded with a certain knowledge that made Gaara wonder. What was she thinking about?

"Of course. I'm certain something _will_ come along-" he told her wanting to reassure her. He could find something to do, if he kept a close eye on things.

"Will that be all?" the waitress asked interrupting their future conversation and Gaara stared at her.

"Yes, nothing else. Bring the bill please." Temari asked nicely and the female took their empty plates with a warm smile and nodded.

Gaara watched her walk away. There was something weird in her green eyes. He had seen it the moment she had received them and seated them at the table. He just couldn't figure out what it was that was odd in her. He was also more than certain that she had seemed nervous around him, especially as she spoke or directed her stare toward him.

"What's wrong?" Temari asked and he looked in her direction.

"I feel as though there should be something more to this day. For example, right now, I feel something should materialize before me, in my hands or on this table, from my secret admirer and-" and what? He couldn't finish that sentence even if he wanted to, could he? He wasn't sure what the right words were or what it exactly it was that he wanted to happen.

"-And sweep you off your feet?" Temari finished and he looked at her wondering if those were the words he had been looking for. "Oh, Gaara-" she continued with a smile. "-You really do miss your secret admirer." she told him in the most annoying tone he had ever heard her use, her tone going up in the most horrible of ways.

Gaara glared at her before he could stop himself. What the living hell was wrong with her? She sounded like one of those girls that were always trying to make themselves seem more _cute_ in front of him so that he could focus on them, which he never did.

"I'm going back to the inn." he told her as he stood. He heard her apologize for the tone, but he just shook his head. "Please pay the bill." he added and just walked away. He wasn't fond of that kind of behavior, even if he had changed, it still was annoying.

000

Temari sat at the table with her hands on her head. Damn, she should have used another tone when she had spoken. It had all sounded so girly, like if she was an adult talking to a cute, shy and very embarrassed five year old. She had not meant to, but lets face the facts. This whole secret admirer situation was making her overly emotional. And the extra emotional crap was making her way too girly and being around the Konoha kunoichi, well things were starting to rub off on her. Darn! And it all leaded up to her asking Gaara if he missed his secret admirer, in a tone that girls like Yamanaka would use with their friends to bother and annoy each other when they were in love with some guy that paid them little attention. That same tone said girls would use to try to seduce the guys they liked.

Damn it.

She looked at the clock on the wall to see it was seventeen past nine, she couldn't even go after him at this hour, especially when she had to meet that woman and the bill had yet to arrive-

It never took so long to get a bill, where the hell was that waitress? She had things she had to do as well.

Two minutes passed quick and Temari stood about to go in search of the woman, when she appeared out of nowhere, stunning her. Where the hell had she come from? The woman kindly smiled at her, but Temari could only glare back at the waitress. There was no reason for her to be grinning at her-

"You may go, everything has been paid for." the woman told her politely and swiftly as she turned to leave. Temari lightly grabbed her arm before she could take another step. What the hell had she said? What the hell was going on here?

"What?" Temari asked. "Who paid?" she added looking at everyone in the restaurant. There had to be some sort of mistake-

The woman's brilliant green eyes sparkled as she looked up at Temari and she lost all trail of thought. Somehow she knew what would come next and she felt stupid for having asked in the first place.

"His secret admirer, who else?" the woman said as though it should be common knowledge and flashed her once more with brilliant white teeth. Damn, that just made her feel even more like an idiot.

Temari let her arm go and just stared at her blankly while the woman bowed and smiled, walking away from her and towards the door. It was then that she caught sight of the envelope tucked into the waitress' pocket. Temari stood there and watched her take it out as she passed through the door and she felt a flutter of happiness in her heart and she just had to smile. Gaara was going to get what he was desiring the most today and she had really made a fool of herself.

Damn, whomever that secret admirer was, they were pretty damn smart, surely they knew what they were doing, separating her from him just so he could receive something special.

And as for Gaara, well when it come to it, he was right there with her…or him. She wondered what the day would entail for her younger brother, all she could do was hope for the best.

000

Gaara walked away from the restaurant a bit on the frustrated side of things. He had been sure something was going to pop up at the restaurant, something subtle and secret or something loud and eye-catching, but he had left and was now slowly walking away and there was and had been, nothing.

How could he not -or she, she too, it could be a she- How could he or she not send anything? How could they not leave something behind for him? Wasn't it supposed to be an _every day _thing? A _woo_ for every single day?

Damn, why was he focused on it with all those desires and expectations? What was it, within him, that had lead him to feel this way? Perhaps he should have slept last night, there was a probability he was just tired and stressed from everything that was happening.

He really was just making a big deal out of something so small. The day had twenty-four hours and his admirer was out of the village. The sure thing was that something had been planned and he just needed to wait.

Fine. He would wait. He would wait until night fell, something had to appear by then and if it didn't then he was going to lea-

"Gaara-sama!" he heard a woman yell out and turned to see the waitress from the restaurant running out towards him, flapping a paper back and forth above her head.

Great, out of everything he needed. Had Temari left the place without paying? He had no money on him, his sister was the one carrying all the money. Had she forgotten that?

Trully, this certainly was not what he'd meant when he thought of there being something more for him during the day.

Wait, did she just call him by his name? Should that even surprise him?

"Here." she said as she approached him, bowing her head, holding the paper -envelope- out towards him. It was an envelope, not a bill, but an envelope. His heart gave a hard thud. "Forgive me. I was asked to give you this and when I saw you leave I just had to run out, you didn't give me the chance to-" Gaara cut her off.

"What is it and who gave it to you?" he asked her curious, not wanting to lift his own hopes yet and the woman looked at him intently. There could not be a way the envelop could be from his secret admirer, why would he or she leave it there? Had his admirer left an envelop, to be given to him by the hands of another? Gaara watched her eyes begin to sparkle and then she smiled sweetly, kindly. Perhaps he or she had.

"Your secret admirer, Gaara-sama. This person also paid for your breakfast and left you this letter." she clarified with a curious stare as she held the envelope out towards him. He stared at it then looked at her. He or she had given it her personally, hadn't they?

"You know…who it is?" he asked, unable to contain himself. He knew the answer, but he still wanted to hear her say it, he needed to hear it confirmed audibly. With his heart racing a bit faster and the thought of discovering a bit more of him or her dawning on him, Gaara held her stare expectantly.

"Many do. No one will tell you or your sister though, it would ruin the surprise. You would want that would you, Gaara-sama?" she whispered the question playfully and Gaara took the envelope from her hands, shaking his head lightly. No, he didn't want to ruin a single thing. "You two will look lovely together. It is so lovely to see you both at the same table in the mornings…it can be seen this person really likes you." she added and Gaara gazed down at the envelop that had his name written in the front in that deep red ink. It was filled with what he had wanted. He knew it was.

How could he believe his admirer had forgotten him? How could he have doubted that promise made from the start? The person wouldn't lie. Gaara looked up again at the female who was still smiling at him with the kindest aura all around her. She knew who it was, aided him or her, was willing to serve as intermediary and she wasn't the only one.

"Read it only when you are alone. I was told to tell you this." the woman added in a friendly tone and Gaara nodded. She smiled and bowed a bit, then simply walked away, turning to head back to the restaurant and Gaara watched her go back, then he almost but flew to the inn, the envelope safe in his hands, his heart quick in his chest, his stomach a knot below it.

Sitting on the bed as soon as he was inside the room, he felt all those emotions come back and swim through him again, overwhelming him in a way he hoped he could get used to. Now alone and with the time and concentration to think about the woman's word, Gaara found himself staring at the envelop. Many knew who his admirer was. Others could see that he was liked. It was all so surreal….

How _could_ it all be seen? If it was seen that he was liked, then why couldn't he just sense the emotions from one person? He had wanted something this day and had gotten it as he had desired, it just happen to come along with it many more curiosities and unanswered questions.

Gaara shook his head and tried to think clearly, he couldn't keep desiring to know the person's identity. He needed to pushed the questions out of his mind and not ruin anything as he had told the woman. Taking the envelope, he opened it slowly trying to not accidentally damage it. He was well aware that he was smiling at the corner of his mouth, though he was frustrated, and was glad, right then and there, to be alone in their suite. He didn't need an audience or anyone trying understand his current emotional disturbances.

Two sheets of paper came out of the envelope and he knew he was more than wrong to believe he had been forgotten.

_**Good morning Gaara, my patient redhead,**_

_**How are you, love? I hope well as I hope to be. Firstly, I'm glad you forgave my friends, and me of course. You are so kind…so special and I am thankful. Thank you, love, you are the greatest.**_

_**Secondly, did you believe I would leave the village and leave you with nothing to **_**woo**_** you with? A promise is a promise…everyday means everyday to me, Gaara. And just because I am out on a mission, it doesn't mean I have forgotten about you. Yes I am away, away from you and your presence, your eyes, but I wish I wasn't. I really wished to secretly pass an entire day with you…but I could not.**_

_**I miss you. Even though I wrote this before I left…I know that as you read this now, I am off somewhere, missing you…missing your voice, your hair, your smirk…your eyes…yes I am missing those eyes right now. I am thinking about them now, believe me.**_

_**Yesterday at breakfast, when you said you had forgiven me, I wanted to stand from me seat and embrace you, kiss you…I was so delighted…Gaara…I want this all to be so special for you, for us…but, as days pass it's getting harder. **_

_**Seeing you look at my friends and suspecting, gazing, staring, wondering…it makes me a bit nervous, a bit jealous…though not in a bad way…so don't get alarmed. It's okay…I don't really know why I'm even writing this, but…I'll work harder to keep you focused a bit more on me…I will work much harder.**_

_**Sometimes though, I want to ask you "Is this the one that you want? Is it her? Is it him?" but , I try not to let those doubts get to me. I trust my friends and I promised you, that no matter what, we would always be friends…and I will be your friend Gaara, whomever you decide yourself for in the end, I will be your friend always.**_

_**I hope you don't hate me at the end of this all…there are only five more days…I wonder now if **_**I'll**_** be able to wait? I know we confuse you…it won't last long though…it won't.**_

_**And I'm glad I saw that you feel something, whether for me or someone else…it doesn't matter. It was very present in your eyes, hidden under a blank stare, a little glare, a surprised face…you hide your emotions well, but I can see them, I can always see them…I guess it's because I hide mine too at times, but I wonder, if you were to stare into my eyes for a long time would you know it is I? Would you know it was me with just one long gaze? Would you be able to tell by the connection?**_

_**I won't make you look into or stare for hours into eight pairs of eyes, if I could though, I would make you stare into mine, but I will not…I will tell you this one thing though…**_

_**I feel like letting things slip…I cannot take this secrecy. I want to let something slip…so, can you handle that? Do you think you could handle something deeper if it came?**_

_**Breakfast was my treat, lunch will be as well, at noon and dinner at six…but, you must work for them. Prepare yourself…you will hold in your hands a precious gift from me when you are done at the end of the day…**_

_**Going alone is a must…now go on my sweet and enjoy this wonderful day…**_

Gaara read it a second time, as always, and smirked…

Letting emotions slip would be good. He would be able to figure things out on his own and not get a third into trouble.

Staring into their eyes for long periods of time could also be good. He could figure out which one it was if he did.

As for wanting to kiss him, he didn't quite know how to react to that, didn't he or she kiss his cheek every time they left something behind in the room or the suite? Was his admirer missing his cheek? Well, perhaps, he was missing that soft contact as well. He could miss it, couldn't he?

Gaara's stomach began to flutter and he tried to push it aside, but it would not subside as he looked at the second piece of paper, beginning to read it.

_**My sweetest Gaara,**_

_**I come to take you on an adventure, to let you see this village the way I have. So grab your gourd and head to the inn's rooftop, before you continue to read… **_

Gaara didn't waste time and did as he was told by his secret admirer via the letter. Why even waste time thinking of whether he why he should or shouldn't do what he was asked. He didn't have anything else to do anyway. And he certainly wasn't going to ignore him or her. He stood and strapped on his gourd.

He stepped onto the roof and he was almost blinded by the bright blue sky, the brightest yellow sun and the whitest puffy clouds in the distance. With the view of the perfect day, Konoha was truly beautiful.

…_**this is where I grew up. I've seen this beauty many times…I know it all so well…allow me to guide you to places you have yet to explore…**_

…_**open yourself to new feelings, new adventures and new friends, because you will find them all here…let me guide and show you…**_

_**You can see most of the village, can't you? The hot springs, the academy, the fields with all their flowers, the training grounds, Hokage mountain…this last should be your first.**_

_**Go to Hokage Mountain…find the surprise I have for you there…start your treasure hunt, and find the rest of this note…**_

Gaara stared at the piece of paper in his hand. What the hell was this?

The last word on it was actually 'note', there was nothing else written there. Or the envelope, or the letter. The redhead looked around the village and the sky.

What should he do? Was anyone even permitted on the landmark? What was the point of doing that anyway? Who would go and hide a gift on a mountain?

Obviously, his secret admirer was more than happy to.

Gaara placed the note in his pocket and crossed his arms over his chest. He stared at the mountain's five heads, the sun shinning down on him. A soft breeze hit his skin, before a harder one blew past him, towards the mountain. He still stood entirely still. Birds flying in the sky caught his attention as they too went towards the mountain. That was coincidence. The breeze blew strongly one more time and leaves came past him, all on their way towards the mountain-

Fine. If nature was in on it too, he would just go and get it all over with. He was certain his admirer had the charm to convince mother nature to do his or her bidding.

The thought made him smile again.


End file.
